NEW DELHI, Dec. 27 (Xinhua) -- At least four people died after inhaling carbon monoxide from burning charcoal inside their room while they were asleep in India's eastern state of Bihar, confirmed the local police on Saturday.

Four others were in a critical condition, the police said, adding that the victims belonged to the same family in Bihar's Chhapra district. The dead included three children and a 70-year-old woman.

According to the police, the victims had lit charcoal in a container inside their room in a bid to keep themselves warm amid intense cold conditions. ■