Bhawanipatna, May 26: A tragic incident was reported on Tuesday from Gaud Karlakhunta village under the jurisdiction of Madanpur Rampur Police Station limits in Odisha’s Kalahandi district, where six persons allegedly died of suffocation while removing the centring structure of a newly-built septic tank.

One more person remains in critical condition and has been shifted to the district headquarters hospital in Kalahandi for advanced treatment, a source said.

The deceased have been identified as Nimai Pal (48), the contractor who constructed the toilet tank, his son Akash Pal (28), labourers Adal Majhi (55), Manoranjan Hati (27) of Matoganda village, and Chhanda Jal along with Bipul Jal.

The critically injured person has been identified as Pankaj Jani (32) of Hatikhoj village.

According to the source, the mishap took place when workers entered the septic tank to remove the centring structure after construction work. During the process, some workers reportedly became unconscious inside the tank due to suffocation.

In an attempt to rescue them, others entered the tank one after another but also collapsed inside after inhaling toxic gases.

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After receiving information, locals, along with the administration, launched a rescue operation and pulled all the victims out of the tank. They were immediately rushed to the Madanpur Rampur Community Health Centre, where doctors declared six people dead.

The critically injured worker was later shifted from the Madanpur Rampur Community Health Centre to the district headquarters hospital for further treatment, the source informed.

Police and administrative officials launched an investigation into the incident.