Sleeping In Bengal Sweet Shop, 2 Suffocate To Death, 6 Hospitalised

At least two people "asphyxiated" to death in a sweet shop in Durgapur city in West Bengal's Paschim Bardhaman district on Monday, police said.

Six others also present in the shop were found in an unconscious state and are currently undergoing treatment in a hospital.

The incident took place in a sweet shop on William Carey Road in B-Zone area of the industrial city as the eight workers of the shop were sleeping inside the establishment after the day's work, a police officer said.

They were found in an unconscious state by the shop owner on Monday morning and shifted to a hospital but two of them died later, while six others are undergoing treatment, he said.

It is suspected that the two persons asphyxiated to death but an investigation is underway to ascertain whether a leak of an LPG cylinder took place or fumes from the 'tandoor' at the shop were cause of the deaths, the officer said.

The victims have been identified as Atanu Ruidas and Bidhan Bauri. They, along with those hospitalised, hailed from Beliatore in Bankura district.

However, hospital authorities said the exact cause of death will be known only after receipt of the post-mortem reports.