What was meant to be a night of festive happiness ended in a heartbreaking tragedy when two young men suffocated to death, and three others were left fighting for their lives after inhaling toxic fumes from an operating generator in Odisha’s Kendujhar district.
The tragic incident occurred in Sudung village, located within the jurisdiction of Nayakote Police Station in Banspal block, while the village was actively celebrating Laxmi Puja late into the night.
According to local sources, five young villagers retired for the night inside a closed house, keeping a fuel-powered generator running indoors or in an unventilated space overnight. As the machine ran through the late hours, toxic carbon monoxide fumes quickly filled the enclosed room, unknowingly trapping the sleeping youths.
The deceased have been identified as Rajendra Sahu and Nitu Sahu, both residents of Sudung village. The three surviving victims—identified as Jagannath Giri, Prashant Dehuri, and Niradash Dehuri—were found in grave condition.
The tragedy came to light early the following morning when villagers noticed the house remained locked from the inside long past sunrise. Growing uneasy, local residents broke into the premises and were greeted by a harrowing sight: all five youths lay motionless and unresponsive inside the fume-filled house.
Villagers immediately rushed the unconscious men to the nearest medical facility in Banspal. Tragically, Rajendra Sahu and Nitu Sahu succumbed to the toxic gas before reaching the hospital and were declared dead on arrival.
Recognising the extreme severity of their condition, medical personnel shifted Jagannath, Prashant, and Niradash to the district headquarters hospital in Keonjhar for advanced emergency treatment. Hospital authorities confirmed that all three remain in critical condition and their status is being monitored closely.
A pall of deep gloom has descended over Sudung village as news of the sudden deaths broke during what should have been a festive week. Upon receiving information, a team from Nayakote Police Station arrived at the scene to inspect the premises, secure the generator, and initiate an official inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the fatal incident.
