A 40-year-old man, Arvind, died during sewer cleaning in Ashok Vihar, Delhi. Three other individuals sustained severe injuries. All of them were employed by a construction company. The police have summoned a forensic team to commence an investigation and have also summoned the company manager.
Delhi: A man died and three others were critically injured during sewer cleaning on Tuesday night in Ashok Vihar, the capital's locality. The incident occurred near Harihar Apartment in Phase-2. This accident has raised questions regarding safety and adherence to standard operating procedures at the workplace.
Accident Occurred During Cleaning
Deputy Commissioner of Police (North-West), Bhisham Singh, stated that around 11:30 PM, four laborers fainted during cleaning. They were immediately taken to Deen Dayal Upadhyay (DDU) Hospital, where doctors declared a 40-year-old man named Arvind dead. The deceased was a resident of Kasganj district in Uttar Pradesh.
The three injured individuals have been identified as Sonu and Narayan (from Kasganj) and Naresh (from Bihar). All of them have been admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Their health condition is reported to be critical.
Company Manager Questioned Over Laborers' Deaths
According to the police, the deceased and the injured laborers were working for a construction company. This company had been engaged in sewer cleaning work in the Ashok Vihar area for several days. A forensic team was immediately called to the scene after the incident and evidence was collected.
The police have summoned the construction company's manager for questioning to ascertain whether safety standards were followed. Preliminary investigations indicate a lack of safety equipment and proper training at the worksite.
Case Registered Under IPC for Laborers' Deaths
Officials stated that taking this incident seriously, a case has been registered under Section 304(A) (causing death by negligence), 289 (negligent conduct with respect to machinery or poisonous substance), and 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Additionally, an investigation is also being conducted under the Prohibition of Employment and Regulation of Contract Labour Act, 2013.
The police stated that the investigation into the matter is ongoing, and action may be taken against other responsible officials of the company as well.
Accident Raises Questions on Workplace Safety
This accident has raised serious questions about workplace safety standards and workers' rights. According to experts, proper safety equipment, training, and health inspections are crucial for hazardous tasks like sewer cleaning.
Local residents reported that such dangerous work has occurred multiple times in this area, but safety standards are often overlooked. The police have appealed to laborers and the general public to verify the adherence to safety regulations at workplaces and to immediately report any negligence to the authorities.
