Three individuals were discovered deceased after they entered a septic tank to conduct cleaning in Rayagada, Odisha. Authorities are currently looking into the circumstances surrounding the incident.

The fatalities occurred in the Tarpaguda village, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Padmapur police station. The victims have been named as Harishchandra Bir, aged 46, Prakash Lima, aged 47, and Alok Karad, aged 45, all of whom were local residents.

According to police reports, the men entered the septic tank to perform cleaning duties. One individual entered first, followed by the other two, after which they reportedly lost consciousness inside the tank.

Fire service personnel later retrieved the three men; however, attempts to revive them were unsuccessful.

Inspector-in-Charge BD Pradhan of Padmapur police station indicated that preliminary findings suggest suffocation may have caused the fatalities. Investigators are also considering the possibility of toxic gas exposure or a lack of oxygen as part of their inquiry.

The deceased have been sent for postmortem examinations, which are expected to clarify the precise cause of death. This tragic incident has raised awareness about the risks associated with entering confined sewage and sanitation spaces without adequate safety precautions, although authorities have not yet attributed the fatalities to any specific negligence.