Bahraich (Uttar Pradesh), April 25 – A tragic incident occurred in Bahraich district of Uttar Pradesh on Friday morning, where five laborers died due to suffocation caused by heavy smoke inside a rice mill, while three others are being treated in the hospital. The incident took place in Rajghariya Rice Mill located in the Dargah police station area.
According to Additional Superintendent of Police (City), Ramanand Prasad Kushwaha, preliminary information suggests that smoke began emanating from the dryer of the rice mill, possibly due to moisture. Some laborers entered the dryer chamber for inspection but lost consciousness due to the dense smoke. Firefighters were called to the scene and rescued the workers, who were immediately rushed to the district hospital. Five were declared dead on arrival, while three others are under medical supervision.
Chief Medical Superintendent Dr. M. M. Tripathi confirmed the identities of the deceased as Rajesh Kumar (26), Babulal Prajapati (28), and Ghaffar (22) from Kannauj district, Zahoor (60) from Shravasti, and Bittu Shah (30) from Madhepura, Bihar. The injured have been identified as Surendra (40) from Bahraich, Devi Prasad (25) from Shravasti, and Sukhdev (30) from Tarn Taran, Punjab.
Vinod Agrawal, Director of the rice mill, stated that the automated dryer system used for removing moisture from paddy does not require human entry and operates without gas or fire. It typically uses hot air generated by steam. However, on Friday morning between 5 and 6 AM, a worker reportedly noticed smoke and entered the chamber to inspect. When he did not return, seven other workers followed him and were similarly overcome.
District Magistrate Monika Rani confirmed the incident and stated that a joint investigation committee has been formed to determine the cause. This committee includes the Chief Fire Officer, Assistant Labour Commissioner, General Manager of the District Industries Center, and technical experts.
As per agency report, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives. He directed the local administration to ensure immediate medical treatment for the injured and conveyed his condolences to the bereaved families. The Chief Minister's Office posted on social media platform 'X' urging swift and appropriate action for the injured and ordered a thorough investigation into the incident.
