A horrific tragedy struck a residential Sanskrit institution in Vrindavan’s Chaitanya Vihar area when four young students lost their lives after inhaling suspected toxic gas inside a 12-foot-deep underground water tank.
A fifth student was pulled out in critical condition and is undergoing medical treatment.
The incident unfolded at the Vrindavan Gurukulam premises after students noticed a persistent, unpleasant odour emanating from the underground water reservoir. To tackle the issue, the students initially used an electric pump to drain out the accumulated water before descending into the deep chamber to clear out the remaining sludge and sediment.
According to police and district officials, one student stepped into the dark chamber first but collapsed within moments due to dense, toxic fumes trapped at the bottom. Seeing him unresponsive, four fellow students climbed down one by one in a desperate bid to rescue him. Overcome by the lethal, oxygen-deprived environment inside the confined tank, all five students fell unconscious before they could escape.
Alerted by the sudden absence of the students, institutional staff and nearby residents rushed to the spot and launched emergency efforts to extract the victims. Police teams and district officials quickly arrived at the scene, assisting with the extraction and rushing all five individuals to a nearby hospital.
Doctors declared four students dead upon arrival. They have been identified as Monu Katare (20), Devansh (17), Vishu (18), and Arya (18). The lone surviving student, identified as Rudraksh, regained consciousness and remains under close medical observation.
The disaster created a wave of panic throughout the local community, prompting high-ranking administrative and police officers, including Mathura District Magistrate Chandra Prakash Singh, to inspect the premises.
“This is an immensely painful and tragic accident,” stated District Magistrate Singh. “The students had entered the nearly 12-foot-deep water tank to clean it after detecting a foul odour. Four succumbed, likely due to poisonous gas build-up, while one student survived. A thorough inquiry has been instituted to establish the exact cause, inspect safety compliance, and review the institution’s operational permissions.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath took immediate cognisance of the tragedy, expressing heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. The Chief Minister directed top officials to ensure seamless medical care for the surviving student and assured financial and administrative support to the victim’s kin.
Police have secured CCTV footage from the campus to reconstruct the exact sequence of events, and a magisterial inquiry is underway.
