4 Students Die After Inhaling Toxic Gas While Cleaning Water Tank In UP

Lucknow: Four students died, and another suffered injuries after being exposed to suspected toxic gas while they were trying to clean an underground (submersible) water tank at a school (Gurukul).The victims have been identified as 20-year-old Manu Katare, a resident of Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh; Devansh Sharma (17), a resident of Vidisha, Madhya Pradesh; 17-year-old Aryan Pandey of Kaushambi, Prayagraj; and Vishu Sharma (18) from Meerut.Mathura District Magistrate Chandra Prakash Singh reached the spot soon after the incident. He said the tank was around 12 feet deep and had a submersible pump inside it."Today, at the Maharshi Panini Gurukul in Vrindavan's Chaitanya Vihar, there is a water tank about 10-12 feet deep equipped with a submersible pump. A foul odour was coming from it, so the children of the Gurukul went down to fix it. Five students from the Gurukul entered the tank; there was likely toxic gas present, resulting in the untimely deaths of four of them. One child survived and is completely healthy," he said.The District Magistrate stated that strict action would be taken against anyone found guilty during the investigation. The school itself will also be investigated - regarding who was running it, where it operated from, and whether it possessed all the necessary documentation, he added.Read More: 2 Suicides In 5 Days: Andhra Cops Probe Medical College Students' DeathApart from the District Magistrate, the Municipal Commissioner, fire department personnel and other senior officials also arrived at the scene to assess the situation.Around 150 students come to the gurukul to study Sanskrit from various places.Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed pain over the incident. In a post on X, he said, "The loss of lives in a tragic accident in Vrindavan, Mathura, is extremely heartbreaking and soul-wrenching. My condolences are with the bereaved families."मथुरा के वृंदावन में एक दुर्भाग्यपूर्ण दुर्घटना में हुई जनहानि अत्यंत दुःखद एवं हृदयविदारक है। मेरी संवेदनाएं शोक संतप्त परिवारों के साथ हैं। प्रभु श्री राम से प्रार्थना है कि दिवंगत आत्माओं को सद्गति तथा शोकाकुल परिजनों को यह अथाह दुःख सहन करने की शक्ति प्रदान करें। ॐ शांति।— Yogi Adityanath (@myogiadityanath) October 7, 2026"I pray to Lord Shri Ram that the departed souls attain eternal peace and the grief-stricken families are granted the strength to bear this immense sorrow. Om Shanti," the Chief Minister added.Speaking on the incident, Mathura Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Shlok Kumar stated that 'Vrindavan Gurukulam' is a residential facility where children live and study. A water tank on the premises was emitting a foul smell, and the students went inside to clean it."When the first boy went down, he did not come back out, prompting four others to follow him. When they failed to emerge, people present at the site managed to pull them out. They were brought to the hospital for treatment; of the five who had entered the tank, four have died," he said."They were aged between 17 and 20. Their families are being contacted and informed. The bodies of the four victims have been sent to the mortuary from the district hospital. The one student who survived has been referred to a higher centre from the district hospital; although he is currently conscious and able to communicate, he has been referred to ensure better monitoring," the police officer further said.He also said that CCTV cameras at the scene were being examined. Additionally, contact had been established with the families, and further action would be taken based on the formal complaints lodged by them.What Eyewitnesses Told NDTVSpeaking to NDTV, the student who survived the incident said they all did not go inside the tank at once."Only one person went in first. Then, when he fell, another boy went down after him. His foot slipped, and the force of his fall pushed us in as well," he said.When NDTV asked why the students went down to clean the tank, the students said that since it is a gurukul, everyone is responsible for all the work, including cleaning. "This is our home. We stay here. We have to do all this (cleaning) work."A student said three of those who died were all freshers and had taken admission this year only.(With inputs from Saurabh Gautam)