'No safety gear': Labourer dies inside sewer, two more critical

A 35-year-old daily wage labourer died and two others were critically injured as they fainted upon entering a sewer to lay pipes in Ashok Vihar on Tuesday night, police said. Survivors, meanwhile, said that they were not provided safety gear for the work allotted by a contractor of the Delhi Jal Board (DJB).

- Hemani Bhandari

Police said that the victims inhaled poisonous gases inside the manhole, leading to the death of one of them, but they are awaiting autopsy reports to confirm it.

A case has been registered under provisions of causing death by negligence and endangering life of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and under sections of the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act at Ashok Vihar police station.

Suvarna Ogale, DJB spokesperson did not respond to the multiple queries on the matter. The contractor was identified as Brijgopal Construction Company. “A crime team inspected the site and the manager of Brijgopal Construction Company, which has been carrying out the cleaning work, has been called for questioning,” deputy commissioner of police (north west) Bhisham Singh said.

Police identified the deceased as Arvind Kumar, and the critically injured workers as Sonu Kumar, 40, and Naresh Kumar, 35. A fourth worker, Narayan Kumar, 31, was discharged after first aid they said.