A family of four, including three women, died owing to suspected asphyxiation, while sleeping in a shed of a poultry farm where they were working.
According to the police, they had rigged a stove out of a tin can burning firewood to ward off mosquitoes. But as the shed did not have any ventilation, they are suspected to have died of asphyxiation in their sleep.
The deceased have been identified as Kaale Sarera, 60, his wife Lakshmi Sarera, 50, his relative Usha Sarera, 40, and Phool Sarera, 16. The deceased were from Nepal and came to work in the poultry farm situated in Doddabelavangala on the outskirts of the city a week ago.
According to the police, the family was given a shed next to the poultry farm to live and they lit a stove made of an empty tin can and put firewood, so that it continuously emanated smoke to drive away mosquitoes. However, owing to a lack of ventilation the smoke engulfed the shed and the four died due to a lack of oxygen, the police suspect.
The incident came to light on Sunday morning when the owner had called them and they did not respond. He called the neighbours and asked them to check. When they broke open the door, they found them lying dead, said the police.
The police shifted the bodies to a nearby hospital for autopsy. A senior official said that they had filed an unnatural death registry (UDR) report and only the autopsy would confirm the cause of death.
