In a tragic incident at Harinchhara Tea Estate in Rajghat Union, Sreemangal Upazila, Moulvibazar, four young individuals, all children of tea worker families, lost their lives due to toxic gas poisoning inside a septic tank. The incident occurred while attempting to retrieve a mobile phone.

The tragedy unfolded around 11 PM on Wednesday, July 9, in the tea estate area.

According to local sources, a mobile phone fell into a septic tank at Harinchhara Tea Estate, prompting one young individual to enter the tank to retrieve it. Within seconds, they were overcome by toxic gas, fell unconscious, and could not climb out. Their elder sibling, assuming they had fallen, entered the tank to rescue them but was also affected by the gas and lost consciousness. Subsequently, two more individuals entered to save them, unaware of the deadly trap inside. All four succumbed to the toxic gas one after another.

The deceased were identified as Krishna Rabi Das (20), Shraban Nayek (18), Nipen (27), and Rana Nayek (16), all children of tea worker families from Harinchhara Tea Estate. Another individual, Rabi Bunarji (20), also from a tea worker family, was critically injured.

Rabi Bunarji was immediately taken to Sreemangal Upazila Health Complex, where he received initial treatment before being referred to Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital for advanced care.

Dr. Sabyasachi Pal Tamal, a physician in the emergency department of Moulvibazar 250-Bed Sadar Hospital, stated that four individuals were brought to the hospital already deceased. One person, in critical condition, was sent to Sylhet for better treatment. The exact cause of death will be confirmed after post-mortem examinations.

Sreemangal Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Aminul Islam said, "We suspect the four deaths may have been caused by toxic gas in the septic tank. The matter is under investigation."

This heartbreaking incident has cast a pall of grief over the entire tea estate community. The untimely deaths of four young individuals, including two siblings from the same family, have left the area in profound sorrow. Local representatives, political leaders, and administrative officials visited the site to assess the situation.