At least three Nepali workers died in Mamoura of Qatar on Wednesday in an accident that took place in an underground drainage.

Nepalqatar.com, a leading Nepali news portal of Qatar quoted the Royal Nepalese Embassy in Qatar as saying that the deceased have been identified as Til Bahadur Karki of Jhapa, Ram Chandra Mahara of Siraha and Ujir Bahadur Ejim of Taplejung.

“Although the exact cause of their death is still unknown, they must have choked to death after inhaling toxic gases formed in the underground drain,” according to reports.

According to the Gulf Times, a leading newspaper of Qatar, the Nepali Ambassador to Qatar, Shyamananda Suman, visited the incident site as well as the morgue of Hamad General Hospital, where the bodies are kept.

After visiting the accident site, the ambassador said that it was sheer negligence that led to the tragedy.

“Oxygen masks must be provided to those working in deep excavations which could be filled with toxic gases,” Gulf Times quoted the ambassador as saying, adding, “I will take up the matter with the authorities to ensure that all companies adhere to adequate safety measures.”

He also hoped that the government would investigate the matter and find out how and why so many people died. nepalnews.com pb Apr 25 06