Four Assam youths die in Bengaluru labour shed; suffocation suspected

Guwahati, Jan 31: Four young migrant workers from Assam were found dead under suspicious circumstances at Mutsandra village in Hoskote taluk, on the outskirts of Bengaluru, on Saturday.

The deceased have been identified as Jayant (25), Nirendranath (24), D Taide (25) and Dhananjay (20), all natives of the state.

All four were employed at a Coca-Cola warehouse in the area and were residing together in a temporary labour shed located close to their workplace.

According to preliminary findings, the workers had cooked food inside the shed late on Friday night.

Investigators believe that after cooking, they shut all doors and windows before going to sleep.

Police suspect that the lack of ventilation may have led to a build-up of toxic fumes or depletion of oxygen inside the enclosed space, resulting in suffocation while they were asleep.

“The doors and windows were found closed from the inside. Prima facie, it appears to be a case of suffocation, possibly due to fumes from cooking in a poorly ventilated space. We are awaiting the post-mortem report for clarity,” a police officer said.

The incident came to light early Saturday morning when the workers failed to respond to repeated calls from colleagues. Alarmed by the silence, co-workers alerted the authorities.

Personnel from Sulibele police station rushed to the spot and carried out an initial inspection of the shed.

Police officials said there were no immediate signs of external injuries on the bodies, further strengthening the suspicion of death due to choking or suffocation.

However, they stressed that the exact cause will be confirmed only after post-mortem examinations, which have been ordered and are currently underway.

A case has been registered at the Sulibele police station, and further investigation is in progress to determine whether safety norms at the labour accommodation were violated and if any negligence was involved.

The deaths have caused anxiety among local residents and fellow migrant workers in the area.