An auto driver in Kozhikode district in Kerala lost his life while trying to save two contract labourers, who were stuck in an underground gutter in the district on Thursday morning. 

Two of the deceased were contract labourers from Andhra Pradesh and were assigned by the Kozhikode corporation to clean the gutter. The gutter was emitting poisonous gases choking the two cleaners. 

The auto driver, Naushad jumped in to help the two out of the gutter but ended up being choked by the gas too

The fire-force took 45 minutes to get them out, but all the three were dead by then. 

There are also allegations that the contract labourers were not given protective gears before they went in. 

District collector, N Prashanth has allotted one lakh for the family of the deceased.