Four workers were asphyxiated while cleaning a sump in a house, belonging to Ramakrishnappa, at Dinnenahalli in the taluk on Sunday.
According to police, the victims have been identified as Nagappa (65), Peddanna (39), Narayanappa (35) and Janardhan (34), all residents of the village. The first three were choked to death in the sump while Janardhan died en route to a hospital.
Enraged villagers blamed the owner of the house for the deaths, locked him up in his house and thrashed him.
The Manchenahalli police have registered a case in this regard.
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