A four-year-old girl died after inhaling toxic fumes from a charcoal brazier inside her home at a Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) colony in the Koti Colony area, while her mother remains in a critical condition, police said on Sunday
Incident discovered by neighbours
The tragedy came to light around 10 am on Saturday when neighbours noticed that the door of the house, belonging to CISF constable Ganesh Palve, remained bolted from inside and repeated calls went unanswered. Suspecting something was wrong, they alerted the police.
A police team broke open the door and found Palve’s wife, Monica (37), and their daughter, Arya (4), lying unconscious on a bed.
Child declared dead, mother critical
Both were rushed to the district hospital, where doctors declared the child dead on arrival. Monica was later referred to AIIMS Rishikesh, where her condition was reported to be critical.
Police said a charcoal brazier found inside the room suggested that the girl suffocated due to smoke inhalation. A post-mortem examination has been conducted, and the final report is awaited.
Father away for treatment
Officials said Ganesh Palve, a native of Ahmednagar in Maharashtra, was away in Dehradun for medical treatment at the time of the incident. He was informed after the neighbours raised the alarm.
Police advisory
Police have urged residents to exercise caution while using charcoal braziers or similar heating devices indoors, especially during winter, as smoke inhalation can be fatal.
An investigation is underway to ascertain the exact circumstances leading to the incident.