Bengaluru: In a tragic and shocking incident, three people died of asphyxiation on Monday night while cleaning a manhole on Kaggadasapura Main Road in CV Raman Nagar Assembly segment in Bengaluru.
The police have identified the deceased as Erraiah (35), Anjaneya Reddy (34) and Thavatheen Naidu (40) from Andhra Pradesh. The police have launched a manhunt to trace the contractor of Bengaluru Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) who had engaged the victims to repair the manhole.
According to the police sources, the incident took place when two labourers entered the manhole to undertake some repair work. It is believed that both of them became unconscious due to lack of oxygen. The police said the third person, who is believed to be a driver of the tractor, attempted to rescue them by entering the manhole but he too died due to lack of oxygen. After receiving information, Byappanhalli police rushed to the spot and informed Fire and Emergency Services personnel who retrieved the bodies from the manhole. The police have shifted the bodies to Bowring Hospital for postmortem.
Meanwhile, Minister for Bengaluru Development K J George and Bengaluru Mayor G Padmavathi visited the spot. Minister George announced Rs 10 lakh compensation to each of the kith and kin of the deceased persons. “I am shocked to hear the news of three people died due to asphyxiation. I do not know why the contractor had failed to take precautionary measures to save labourers’ lives. We will take a severe action against the contractor after receiving the report from the authorities concerned,’’ Minister George said.
Expressing shock over the tragedy in which three people have lost their lives, Mayor Padmavathi said the contractor has failed to protect the lives of the labourers. “I do not know why the labourers too failed to take precautionary measures before entering the manhole. The Supreme Court has restricted repairing manhole manually. We will order an inquiry into the incident,’’ Mayor Padmavathi said.
Byappanahalli police have registered a case of negligence against BBBMP and BWSSB under Section 304 of Indian Penal Code.
Recent tragic incidents
July 6, 2015
Two labourers assigned to clean manholes in a drainage system at a Bangalore Water Supply & sewerage Board (BWSSB) project site are said to have died of asphyxiation in the limits of Yelahanka New Town police. The two were clearing debris and construction material from the manholes when the incident occurred on Sunday afternoon.
The deceased have been identified as Sharanagowda Patil, 23, of Kalaburgi and Shameem Aktar, 21, of West Bengal.
August 18, 2015
Two labourers suffocated to death while cleaning a manhole situated near Social Welfare Minister H. Anjaneya’s quarters in Jayamahal on Tuesday. The deceased have been identified as Prasanna and Sethu.
April 4, 2016
It was a tragic Sunday in Doddaballapur town as four people that included two passersby and two labourers, contracted to perform manual scavenging work – despite it being banned – died of asphyxiation in a clogged 15-foot deep manhole on Khasbagh Road.
