Lack of oxygen at a depth of over 20 feet in a narrow open well located at a house in Muthampet village of Koutala mandal in Kumram Bheem Asifabad district claimed three lives on Wednesday. The youths, all of them relatives, had climbed down the well one after another to bring up a faulty pumpset for repairs.
According to information, 25-year-old Gadireddy Rakesh got down into the well to get the pumpset out. As he failed to return, Karem Mahesh (19) went after him and he was followed a little while later by Chokkalla Srinivas (25).
Breathing problem
Family members raised alarm over the three youths not returning and called the police. Three other persons tried to get into the well, but came back after experiencing problem in breathing properly. A hen which was lowered into the well died within a few minutes. Suspecting some noxious gas to be present at such depth, police tried to bring out the bodies by digging by the side of the open well, the mouth of which is as narrow as one metre.
