Three dead after drowning in septic tank as slab collapses

Mumbai: Three persons died, and six sustained injuries after slab of a public toilet in Mankhurd collapsed on Friday morning.

The slab collapsed when around 15 people, including the deceased, were standing on the floor above the septic tank, waiting for their turn to use the toilet at around 7.30 am. Three people fell into the septic tank and drowned in the filth.

The deceased were identified as Harish Bipin Tikedar, 40, a carpenter, Mohammad Shabbir Ansari, 30, worker in a local footwear unit and Ganesh Rambhajan Saha Soni, 40, a hawker. The two persons, Sirajuddin Durat and Ramakant Kanoji, sustained severe injuries in the incident.

Shahji Umap, deputy commissioner of police (Zone 6) said, “We are probing the incident and have registered a case under section 304 culpable homicide not amounting to murder. The contractor of the public toilet Rajdev Bharti has been arrested.”

A resident claimed, “The floor was in a fragile condition for a long time, and with the pressure growing on the slab, it finally collapsed. Despite this people had no option, as another community toilet in Matang Rishi Nagar had been shut on Friday.”

 After the slab collapsed, the fire brigade and the police rushed to the spot.  All the persons were pulled out from the tank and were rushed to Rajawadi hospital. However, the three died as they gasped for breath and were declared dead upon reaching the hospital.

 “We received a call at around 8.10am and rushed to the spot. After summoning the contractor and the operators, who run the community washroom, we have arrested them. We are also going through the contract documents between the MHADA and the contractor for further clarity,” said Pratap Desai, police sub-inspector of the Mankhurd police station.   

The police is also investigating if locals had filed any complaint regarding weakening of the structure in the past.