Two die while cleaning sump at factory in Karnataka: Police

The bodies were handed over to relatives on Thursday after post mortem was conducted at a government hospital in Athibele, police said

Bengaluru

Police said a case has been registered against the factory owner and manager under IPC section 304 (A) (causing death by negligence) after two workers died while cleaning a sump at the factory on the outskirts of Bengaluru. (HT Archives)

Two workers from Bihar died due to suffocation while cleaning a water sump at a factory on the outskirts of Bengaluru, police said on Thursday.

Two others — factory owner Srinivas Reddy and manager Jagadish — were admitted to a hospital after they collapsed while trying to save the workers.

The police identified the deceased as Chandan Raj Bun Singh, 31, and Pintu Raj Bun Singh, 22, both brothers. Police said they might have died of asphyxiation. The two were employed at the Sun Shine Moulding Factory located near Vajpayee Circle in Shikaripally of Anekal taluk̤.

“The incident occurred at 6 pm on Wednesday when the factory owner Srinivas Reddy told workers to clean the sump. Workers entered the sump and put acid, and closed the sump cap for two hours,’’ said Aiyyan Reddy, inspector at Hebbagodi police station. “After waiting for two hours, Chandan and Pintu again entered the sump but they experienced breathing problem and fainted. No one noticed this for half an hour,” Reddy said.

When they did not respond, Srinivas and Jagadish entered the sump and they also fell unconscious. After being alerted by factory workers, fire department officials, wearing oxygen masks, entered the sump, brought out the four men, and rushed them to a private hospital in Jigani, where Chandan and Pinto were declared dead on arrival, the police inspector said.

Srinivas and Jagadish were discharged from the hospital on Thursday.

“A case has been registered against factory owner Srinivas Reddy and manager Jagadish under IPC section 304 (A) (Causing death by negligence), and police are investigating the incident,” inspector Reddy said.

The bodies were handed over to relatives on Thursday after post mortem was conducted at a government hospital in Athibele, Reddy said.