Delhi: Three sanitation workers die of suffocation

New Delhi: Three men died while another is in a critical condition after they went inside a sewer pipe to clean it in Southeast Delhi’s Lajpat Nagar on Sunday afternoon. The police said the three died because they inhaled toxic fumes while they were in the sew-er pipe and suffocated. “Joginder, Annu and a 25 year old man, yet to be identified, were declared brought dead at AIIMS,” said Romil Baa-niya, DCP (Southeast).

While the police claimed the workers had been hired by the Delhi Jal Board (DJB), the board said they had not hired the workers. “They were not our staff. However, we have ordered a probe to find out how these men entered the sewer without authorisation,” said a DJB official.

Around 11.30 am, one of the men had gone inside one of the sewers to clean it. When he did not come out, a second worker went inside to check on him, the police said. A third worker entered the sewer to check on the duo but he also did not come back,  they added.

The contractor, who had been assigned the job to get the sewer cleaned, came there. He sent a fourth worker down to check on the three men. However, the fourth worker was held using a rope and when he started suffocating, he was pulled back. By that time, the police had arrived at the spot. 

The three workers,  who had entered initially,  were declared “brought dead” at the hospital. The fourth worker, named Rajesh, is undergoing treatment at IIMS. Meanwhile, The DJB has launched an inquiry. Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari requested the L-G for a probe into the death of the workers and a compensation for their families.