2 men asphyxiated near Chennai while cleaning sewer tank

CHENNAI: Two sanitation workers with Minjur town panchayat engaged by a private school in Minjur, near Chennai to clean the sewer tank in their premises died of suspected asphyxiation on Monday.

Avadi City Police have booked the school correspondent and are investigating.

The deceased are identified as Govindan (45) and Subburayalu (50). While Govindan was a permanent staff with the town panchayat, Subburayalu was employed on a contract basis.

Preliminary investigations revealed that they were engaged by the school correspondent, Simon C Victor (62).

Police sources said that Simon has been booked under section 304 (a) of IPC (causing death by negligence) and Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013 and The Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.

The workers had reached the school around 1 pm and began work. Within minutes of them entering the tank, they were hit by the noxious gases and swooned.

Police said that the men were declared dead on arrival at the hospital. On information, Minjur Police secured the bodies and moved them to a government hospital for post mortem.