Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], September 28 : Maharashtra Police have detained one person in connection with the deaths of two youths who died of suspected suffocation caused by a chemical leak inside a public toilet in Mumbai.
Giving details of the incident, Senior Police Inspector Abdul Shaikh of Vanrai Police Station told ANI, "The day before yesterday, following the Ganpati immersion, about 8–10 members of the group had a meal and were sitting near the site around 2:30 am. During this time, two youths felt the urge to urinate and went to a nearby public toilet. When they did not return, others checked the toilet and found them unconscious. The police were informed and both were admitted to the hospital, where they were declared dead. Upon investigation, an odour was detected at the scene. Inquiries revealed a small electroplating factory nearby that uses specific chemicals. It is suspected that chemicals were discharged into the drainage system from there, causing the fumes to spread...a post-mortem has been conducted. We have detained one individual..."
Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) officer from Sion, Madhurima Joshi and her team visited and inspected the spot. Also, the officials of the Pollution Control Board have installed a Pollution Monitoring Device at the said place to continuously measure the air and pollution quality for 24 hours.
According to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the incident took place opposite the Parsi Panchayat Gate near Mrunaltai Bridge in Ram Mandir (East). The victims, identified as Prabhakar Dhanivar (24) and Bhavin Desai (18), were rushed to the Trauma Care Hospital, where they were declared brought dead.
Sharing details of the incident, DCP Gajanan Rajmane (Zone 12) said, "The chemical leaked from a chemical shop named Sai Electroplate, resulting in the death of two youths due to suffocation. This shop is owned by Navinchandra Chawda."
Recounting the horrifying sequence of events, Rohit Vairagi, a friend of the deceased, said that the incident occurred between 2:30 AM and 3:00 AM. He stated that the group had gathered under the bridge after having dinner.
"Prabhakar and Bhavin both went to the washroom. After half an hour, when they didn't return, we called them 15 to 20 times, but they didn't answer our calls. So we went to check," Vairagi said.
Describing the rescue attempt, he added, "One of the doors was open, and we saw one of them unconscious inside. We pulled him out and rushed him to the hospital. The other door was locked from the inside, so we broke it open, pulled him out, and rushed him too. But at the hospital, the doctors declared them dead."
Vairagi also claimed the severity of the chemical leakage in the area, pointing to skin rashes on his body.