Ranchi woman, son die of asphyxiation as smoke from coal brazier fills room

Ranchi, Jul 18 (PTI) A woman and her son suffocated to death while her daughter and sister-in-law fell ill, requiring hospitalisation, after inhaling smoke from a coal brazier in a room of their rented accommodation, police said. The incident occurred in Chatakpur village, and it came to light when neighbours alerted police. The deceased have been identified as Pinki Devi (32) and her two-and-a-half-year-old son, a senior police officer said, adding her daughter Prachi and sister-in-law Chanda Kumari (15) are undergoing treatment in a hospital. "The incident happened as smoke from the coal brazier filled the unventilated room. Police broke open the door of the room to find all four lying unconscious," Ratu police station's officer in-charge Adikant Mahto said. All were immediately taken to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared the woman and her son dead, he said. PTI RPS RPS NSD