Five family members die in succession after jumping into a well to save a cat in India

In a rescue attempt that had a devastating end, a family of five all died one after the other after jumping into an abandoned well to save a cat.

The five men lost their lives on Tuesday evening after plunging into a well allegedly used as a biogas pit with animal waste in the village of Wadki, Maharashtra, India.

According to local media, the cat had fallen into the large well around 5pm while members of the Kale family entered the toxic room in an attempt to rescue the cat.

One of the family members had climbed into the well first, before four more followed suit, but eventually they were left trapped.

The victims have been identified as Manik Kale, 65, Manik’s son Sandeep, 36, Anil Kale, 53, Anil’s son Bablu, 28, and Babasaheb Gaikwad, 36.

Five members of the Kale family died while one survived. Vijay Manik Kale, 35, was taken to hospital for treatment

Dhananjay Jadhav, senior police officer at Nevasa police station, Ahmednagar, said: ‘A rescue team found the dead bodies of five of the six people who jumped one after the other into an abandoned affluent animal waste store while trying to rescue a cat’.

After the descent of the five Kale family members into the pit, a sixth person joined the rescue mission and miraculously survived.

“Then the sixth person, who also in an attempt to save the others, entered the well with a rope tied around his waist and survived,” the police added.

‘He was injured during the rescue process and taken out and taken to hospital for treatment’.

The sole survivor was identified as Vijay Manik Kale, 35, also a member of the family who died in the tragic accident.

He is reportedly in a stable condition after receiving medical treatment at a public hospital.

Authorities suspect that a group of five fell unconscious due to the toxic gases coming from the animal waste that filled the well.

Local reports say people nearby in the village heard the family’s moans and cries as they complained of suffocation.

According to Times of Indiaone body was pulled out of the toxic sludge around 11pm on Tuesday evening, while the remaining four bodies were removed over the next hour and a half.

Senior officials said two big suction pumps of the Ahmednagar Municipal Corporation were deployed to remove the goon to reach the victims, with five ambulances kept ready at the spot.

The police state that an investigation into the case is now underway.