Eleven people died and four more left hospitalised after a gas leak in northern India.
Women and children were among the victims following the shocking incident in the port city of Ludhiana in the Punjab state on Sunday.
The source of the leak is still unclear but officials believe gas may have spread from manholes.
India’s National Disaster Response Force sealed off the densely populated area and evacuated residents.
Authorities were trying to ascertain the type of gas in the leak, PTI news agency quoted disaster response officials as saying.
Ludhiana Deputy Commissioner Surabhi Malik told the news agency it was possible that the gas may have spread from manholes.
“We are going to collect samples from manholes. It is quite likely that some chemical reacted with methane in manholes,” she said.
The state’s chief minister, Bhagwant Mann, said the leak came from a factory but didn’t provide more details in a tweet. “All possible help is being provided,” he wrote.
Rajinder Pal Kaur Chhina, a local legislator, told Reuters news agency that the incident had happened near a milk shop. "People who came to buy milk in the morning, fell unconscious outside," she said.
