Two men lost their lives due to suspected asphyxiation while manually cleaning a septic tank at a residence in Madarasanahalli, near Babalada Road in the Hirapur area, police said on Wednesday.
The deceased have been identified as Shivakumar Nandurkar (51), a resident of Madarasanahalli, and his friend Ratan Hotkar (58), who lived in Indira Nagar.
Trapped inside septic tank
According to officials from the Karnataka Police, Shivakumar had entered the septic tank earlier in the day for cleaning work but was unable to come out. In an attempt to rescue him, Ratan also entered the tank. Both men reportedly succumbed to asphyxiation.
Police said the two were close friends and had previously undertaken septic tank cleaning work together.
Their bodies were later retrieved and sent for postmortem examination.
Case registered, probe underway
An unnatural death case has been registered at the Ashok Nagar Police Station. Authorities stated that further investigation is underway to determine the exact circumstances leading to the tragedy.
The incident has once again raised concerns over the dangers associated with manual cleaning of septic tanks and the urgent need for mechanised alternatives and stricter safety compliance.
Residents in the area expressed shock over the sudden deaths, describing both men as hardworking and known within the community.