PUNE, Aug. 16 -- Three workers died of suffocation while laying optical fibre cables in an underground drainage chamber in the Nigdi area of Pimpri-Chinchwad on Friday, said a police officer. Preliminary investigations suggest the deceased may have faced a lack of oxygen or toxic gases, leading to instant suffocation. Nigdi police and emergency services reached the spot after being alerted by locals, and the three were rescued and rushed to a nearby hospital. Assistant commissioner of police Vitthal Kubade said, "The doctors declared the trio dead on arrival. We are trying to see why BSNL contractual staff were working on August 15." The incident raised serious concerns regarding safety measures for labourers in utility and telecom services. The police are investigating whether security protocols were followed, or whether there was any negligence in assigning such hazardous work on a national holiday. The deceased were identified as Datta Holare, Lakhan Dhavare, residents of Gurudwara Chowk in Akurdi, and Sahebrao Girase of Bijlinagar. An official from BSNL said that all three were contract based employees in their Akurdi office....