New Delhi: Eleven people, including two children, died and four fell ill after a toxic gas leak from a factory on Sua Road near Sherpur Chowk in Punjab’s Ludhiana on Sunday, April 30 morning. According to officials involved in the rescue efforts, many are still trapped and efforts are still on to pull them out of the factory safely.Hindustan Times reported that the gas leaked from a block with different establishments including a cold drink store, a grocery store and a medical clinic.Ludhiana police commissioner Mandeep Singh Sidhu said that based on initial reports, it was apprehended that someone disposed of some chemicals in the sewerage which led to the emission of the toxic gas. “A cat was also found dead at the incident site,” said Sidhu.Additional deputy commissioner Amarjit Singh Bains said, “A broken manhole has been found in the area and there was a strong smell emanating from it. There is a possibility that the chemical has been poured into the sewerage from that point.”Giaspura, where the incident took place, is a densely populated area with a migrant population. Several industrial and residential buildings are located here. All the victims belonged to Uttar Pradesh and Bihar and had been staying in Ludhiana, according to local reports.“11 deaths confirmed till now. In all likelihood, there is some gas contamination which has happened. It is quite likely that maybe some chemical reacted with methane in manholes. All of this is being verified. NDRF is retrieving samples,” HT report quoted Ludhiana deputy commissioner Surabhi Malik as saying.The Punjab government has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each for the next of kin of the deceased, and Rs 50,000 for those injured in the gas leak incident.According to Indian Express, five belonged to a single family among the 11 killed, and three from another family. One deceased, who was in his mid-20s, is yet to be identified.Citing sources, the IE report said a gas leak was reported from the area even a year back, but none was affected back then. They said that a few persons who bought milk from a local provision store – Goyal kirana store – at around 6.30 am Sunday complained about smelling gas and just half an hour later some people living in the vicinity started falling sick.This is a developing story. More details are awaited. The copy will be updated as and when new information trickles in.