Three Workers Die in Sultanpuri Septic Tank After Cleaning Without Safety Gear
Three men died on Friday morning after entering a septic tank to clean it without safety gear in the Sultanpuri area of Outer Delhi. The victims, identified as Arun, Chand, and Sandeep, allegedly suffocated after being forced to clean the tank manually when mechanical equipment failed.
The incident occurred after 10:00 AM on Friday. Arun, a resident of Sultanpuri who lived with his wife Aarti and three young sons in a ground-floor house, had left his home after receiving a call from Neeraj to clean a tank. According to Aarti, Arun usually worked outside the tanks operating a "tractor" machine, which extracts sewage through a pipe. He had left home expecting a daily wage of Rs 600.
According to the victims' families, a blockage occurred in the tank that the machine could not clear. The contractor, Naresh, then allegedly forced Chand to enter the septic tank to clear it manually. Chand's nephew, Shivani, stated that Chand had worked with the contractor for a long time and could not say no.
When Chand did not emerge after approximately 10 minutes, Arun went inside the tank. Sandeep, a neighbour who had recently lost his job and joined them for the contract, then entered the tank in an attempt to save his colleagues. All three men died inside the tank.
Arun’s elder brother, Narender, stated that the workers were not provided with any safety gear. He noted that Arun had worked with Neeraj for more than five years and they were asked on the phone to just remove the water from the tank mechanically, with no one supposed to go inside.
The deaths have left the families of the deceased in deep financial distress. Arun was the primary breadwinner for his wife and three young children, aged between 6 and 8. Sandeep is survived by his wife Nisha, a 10-year-old daughter, and his in-laws. Speaking outside the mortuary of Sanjay Gandhi Hospital, Shivani said that Chand's family, including his wife and two children, had not yet been informed of his death.
