Vrindavan Tank Tragedy: 5 Students Entered 12-Ft Tank, 4 Died After Toxic Gas Exposure, 1 Critical

Four students died after allegedly inhaling toxic gas while cleaning a 12-foot-deep water tank at a Vrindavan gurukulam. One student survived and is undergoing treatment as a probe begins.

Post Published By: Sreeja Chowdhury

Updated : 7 October 2026, 8:44 AM IST

Four students in Vrindavan died after allegedly inhaling toxic gas (Img: X)

Mathura: Four students of a residential Sanskrit gurukulam in Vrindavan died after allegedly inhaling toxic gas while cleaning an underground water tank on Tuesday night. One other student was rescued and is undergoing treatment. The incident took place at a gurukulam in the Chaitanya Vihar area of Vrindavan, Mathura district.

Students Entered Tank After Foul Smell

According to officials, a strong foul smell was noticed coming from a nearly 12-foot-deep underground water tank on the gurukulam premises. After the water was drained, students reportedly entered the tank to clean it.

One student who went inside became unconscious. In an attempt to rescue him, four other students entered the tank one after another. All five were reportedly overcome inside the confined space. Local people and others at the premises pulled them out and rushed them to hospital.

Four Students Declared Dead

Doctors declared four students dead. The deceased students were reported to be between 17 and 20 years old. Another student, identified in reports as Rudraksh, survived and is receiving medical treatment.

Police have sent the bodies for post-mortem examination and are also examining CCTV footage from the campus to establish the sequence of events.

Toxic Gas Suspected Inside Tank

Mathura officials have said preliminary findings indicate that poisonous gas may have accumulated inside the tank. The exact cause of the deaths will be established through a detailed investigation.

The incident has also raised questions about safety arrangements at the residential institution, where around 200 students are reportedly enrolled and nearly 100 were staying on the premises at the time.

Magisterial Probe Ordered

District Magistrate Chandra Prakash Singh said a magisterial inquiry would examine the circumstances surrounding the incident, including the functioning of the gurukulam and whether required safety and regulatory standards were being followed.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has taken cognisance of the tragedy and directed officials to ensure proper treatment for the surviving student and assistance to the affected families.