Ranchi, Mar 11 (IANS): Three persons of a family, including the father and the son, died due to inhaling poisonous gas after they entered a well in Latehar district in Jharkhand on Thursday, the police said.

The incident took place at Palhitola village situated under the Balumath block in Latehar district. Ashish Toppo (15) first entered the well get a water pump out of it. After he fell unconscious, his father Simon Toppo (45) entered the well. He too fell unconscious.

To save the father-son duo, Anup Toppo (26), a nephew of Simon Toppo, entered the well, but only to meet the same fate. The villagers later rescued the three persons and took them to a local hospital where they died during the course of treatment.

Simon had put a water pump inside the well to irrigate his land. The water level was only five feet. When the irrigation work was over, Ashish went inside the well to take out the water pump.

The bodies have been sent for post-mortem.