Men sleep on burning stove in Noida after leaving ‘Chhole’ and die of suspected suffocation

Last update:January 11, 2025, 10:21 PM EST

With the room closed, it filled with smoke and the chickpeas continued to cook on the stove. Both men allegedly died of asphyxiation caused by poisonous smoke.

Initial investigations revealed that both men left a pot of chickpeas (chole) on a burning stove to cook overnight in their stall. (Representative image)

On Saturday, two young men in their 20s allegedly died of suffocation in Noida, Uttar Pradesh. The cause of suffocation is believed to be caused by smoke and toxic fumes from a pot of chickpeas placed on a burning stove.

The deceased, identified as Upendra (22) and Shivam (23), lived in a rented house in Basai village in Sector 70 of Noida. They had a stall where they sold ‘chole bhature’ and ‘kulche’, NDTV reported.

Initial findings indicate that both men left a pot of chickpeas (chhole) on a burning stove to cook overnight in their stall. After placing the pot on the stove on Friday night, the two went to bed, leaving the stove on.

With the room closed, it filled with smoke and the chickpeas continued to cook on the stove. Both men allegedly died of asphyxiation caused by poisonous smoke.

“Because the door to the house was closed, there was no oxygen in the room. This, coupled with smoke from burning food, resulted in a large amount of carbon monoxide in the house,” Deputy Commissioner of Police Rajiv Gupta, Noida Central Zone, told a news agency.

When neighbors noticed the smoke, they broke down the door and took both men to a nearby hospital, where doctors pronounced them dead upon arrival, the report added.

The police sent their bodies for autopsy.

Smoke in a closed room can cause breathing problems and suffocation by emitting harmful gases such as carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide.

When smoke remains in an enclosed space, it reduces the flow of oxygen, which can result in fatal consequences from long-term exposure to these dangerous gases.

Carbon monoxide is a poisonous gas that is odorless. It can be emitted when fuel is burned in cars and trucks, stoves, ovens, grills and generators, and can accumulate in tightly closed spaces.