Worker falls unconscious in rice mill tank, dies

A tragic incident occurred at Pasi Rice Mill in Bholath when a worker, attempting to retrieve his mobile phone from a water tank, lost consciousness. The victim, identified as Lakshman Mahto, was declared dead upon arrival at the Bholath Civil Hospital. The police have initiated an investigation into the matter.

According to preliminary reports, Mahto, originally from Singhwada village in Darbhanga district of Bihar, had been residing in Kamarawan village near Bholath and was working at the rice mill. The incident unfolded when Mahto accidentally dropped his mobile phone into the tank. In an attempt to retrieve it, he entered the tank but soon became unconscious, allegedly due to the presence of toxic fumes or lack of oxygen.

In a desperate rescue attempt, Mahto’s brother-in-law, who also works at the same mill, jumped into the tank to save him. However, he too began feeling dizzy and was on the verge of fainting. Hearing his cries for help, other workers rushed to the scene and managed to pull both men out of the tank.

Lakshman was immediately rushed to the Civil Hospital, where doctors declared him dead. His brother-in-law received treatment and is reported to be out of danger.

Following the incident, the owner of the rice mill, Namdev Arora, promptly informed the police. ASI Manjit Singh recorded the statements of the deceased’s wife and brother-in-law. Legal proceedings have been initiated under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

The body was handed over to the family after a post-mortem examination. Cops are now focusing on determining the exact cause of the death and whether there was any negligence in workplace safety protocols.

Jalandhar