Potter dies of poisonous gas in sewer

Goes down with bro to gather mud, dies due to late rescue

Search for mud to shape utensils led a 22 year-old potter to death in central’s Delhi’s Karol Bagh on Thursday afternoon. He died after inhaling poisonous gas in a sewer while his brother is recuperating in a city hospital, suffering from infection, police said.

The incident came to light at about 3:30 pm on Thursday when a man was found in unconscious state at lane number 28 at Beadon Pura in Karol Bagh.

“We reached at the spot and rushed the youth to Lady Harding Medical College and Hospital. After first aid, the youth regained consciousness,” said a police officer.

The victim identified as Punnu, 19, who hails from Rai Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh and resides in a rented accommodation at JJ Cluster at Beadon Pura, told police that his elder brother Lalan was still in unconscious state in a sewer nearby.

Another police team was sent to rescue Lalan, who was found lying. He was dragged out of sewer and rushed to Lady Harding Medical College and Hospital where doctors declared him brought dead. 

Punnu told the police that he and his brother were potters and were searching for worthwhile mud to make utensils, in a sewer near his home.

They opened a sewer and went inside but as they tried to dig, they both got dizzy with poisonous gas.

He managed to come out of the drain but his brother got trapped and fell unconscious. He too got unconscious within minutes.

While Punnu is still recuperating, the police have sent Lalan’s body to the hospital’s mortuary where post-mortem would be carried out on Friday.