Two young men were found dead in their rented room in Noida’s Sector 70, Uttar Pradesh, after an unattended pot of cooking chhole (chickpeas) filled their room with smoke. The incident took place in the early hours of Saturday, as reported by local authorities.
Victims Identified as Food Vendors
The victims, Upendra (22) and Shivam (23), operated a food cart selling chhole kulche and bhatura in the area. Residing in a small, poorly ventilated room in Basai village, the duo had finished work late Friday night.
Concerned neighbours raised the alarm when they noticed smoke emanating from the men’s quarters. Upon breaking into the room, they found the two unconscious and rushed them to the district hospital in Sector 39, where they were pronounced dead on arrival.
Smoke from Stove Likely Cause of Death
Preliminary investigations revealed that the pair had left a pot of chhole cooking on a gas stove before going to bed. The stove continued to burn through the night, leading to the food charring and releasing smoke that filled the unventilated room.
“Initial evidence suggests that suffocation due to smoke and carbon monoxide buildup in the enclosed space caused their deaths,” a Noida Police official stated.
Post-Mortem Examination Pending
The bodies have been sent for autopsy to determine the exact cause of death. Officials reported no visible injuries, further supporting the theory of smoke inhalation as the primary cause.
“This appears to be a tragic accident. The post-mortem will confirm the precise cause of death,” said the police spokesperson.
A Cautionary Tale on Fire Safety
This heartbreaking incident underscores the risks of leaving stoves or cooking appliances unattended, particularly in spaces with limited ventilation. Residents are urged to take necessary precautions to avoid such preventable tragedies.
