The gas leaked from a cylinder kept in a vacant plot of land, they said, adding that security officials rushed the people to safety after being informed about the incident and no damage was reported

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami directed officials to investigate the storage of poisonous gas cylinders near a residential area while a case has been registered against the owner of the plot, Deepak Gupta, and a local resident, Narendra Kumar Singh

The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) commandant, accompanied by chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear experts with the necessary equipment, rushed to the spot and found out that one of the four cylinders kept in the plot was leaking, the officials said

National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and fire brigade personnel were also called to the spot, the officials said, adding that people living in the nearby areas were rushed to safe locations

The cylinder found leaking was buried in the ground after filling it with water, an NDRF official said

Underground leakage of gas in water is subdued and does not spread much, he added

"After the cylinder is completely emptied of its content, it will be buried under the ground with soil," NDRF Assistant Commandant Praveen Kumar said, adding that this is the safest and most effective option