At least seven people died after inhaling poisonous gas emanating from a well under construction in India's eastern state of Jharkhand, a news report said Friday reported dpa.
The incident occurred in a village in the West Singhbhum district about 100 kilometres south of state capital Ranchi on Thursday evening, when some locals were cleaning the well, the IANS news agency reported.
Police said six people tried to rescue a man who fell into the well, and all of them died after inhaling the poisonous gas, the news agency reported. It did not specify the type of poisonous gas.
Other local media reported that one body was recovered, while the the other victims had yet to be removed from inside the well.