Card Game Turns Deadly, 3 Killed After Falling Into Well During Raid Scare In Gujarat

A late-night card game in Gujarat's Bhavnagar district ended in tragedy after four men fell into an open well while trying to flee what they believed was a police raid, leaving three of them dead.

According to initial information, 11 men were playing cards late Monday night in the agricultural field when a vehicle arrived and three people approached the spot.

Believing that a police raid was underway, the men panicked and began running. In the confusion and darkness, four of them fell into a nearby open agricultural well. Three of the men died from the fall, while one survived.

The victims have been identified as Rahul Popatbhai Chauhan (35), Nilesh Dabhi (37) and Ajitsinh (45).

On Tuesday morning, the police control room received a call about a body on the farm and, following a search, three bodies were found floating in the well, sub-inspector D N Jadeja of Vartej police station said.

"The police control room received a call reporting a body at the farm. Police arrived immediately and, with the help of villagers, conducted a search, discovering three bodies one after another in the well. These have been sent to Sir T. Hospital in Bhavnagar for post-mortem," he said, news agency PTI reported.

Following the incident, family members of the victims gathered in large numbers at the government hospital. The families alleged that a police raid had taken place and said the deaths occurred during the operation.

However, senior police officials and the Vartej police station have denied conducting any raid at the location. Vartej Police Inspector Padheriya said no police operation was carried out in the area.

According to the police, the arrival of the vehicle may have led the men to mistakenly believe that a raid was taking place. Padheriya also suggested that someone from the village may have played a prank, causing panic among the group.

Police said the three individuals who arrived at the spot left after the incident. 

Authorities have started an inquiry to establish the sequence of events and identify the people whose arrival triggered the panic.

Meanwhile, family members of the victims have refused to accept the bodies and are demanding that an FIR be registered against police officials. Police, however, have maintained that no raid was carried out.