Seven persons, including a two-year-old, died after allegedly inhaling poisonous gas leaking from a chemical factory in Sitapur district of Uttar Pradesh, police said.
The incident was reported from a village in Biswan area of the district. All the dead originally belong to Kanpur district, police said.
“Prima facie,” said SP Sitapur L. R Kumar, the victims, were sleeping in a carpet factory they worked at. The labourers died after inhaling fumes which emanated from a liquid that spilled out from a tanker.
Two stray animals also died due to poisoning, he said. The entire area had been cordoned off for “isolation”, the officer said, adding that a combing operation was on in the nearby areas.
A team of the NDRF and health department were reaching the site for rescue work and investigation.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ordered “strict action” against the culprits, said a government spokesperson.
The dead were identified as Ateeq (45), his wife Saira (42), their daughter Aisha (12) and sons Afroz (8) and Faisal (2), and two others, Motu (75) and Pehalwan (75).
Mr. Adityanath announced ₹4 lakh compensation for the family of the deceased.
