3 victims who died while cleaning chemical tank had no expertise to do hazardous work: Police

Gurugram: Three people who died after entering a chemical tank at an automobile-parts manufacturing factory in Bhondsi on Wednesday were working there as welders and painters and had no expertise in handling chemicals and tank-cleaning, police said on Thursday

Gurugram: Three people who died after entering a chemical tank at an automobile-parts manufacturing factory in Bhondsi on Wednesday were working there as welders and painters and had no expertise in handling chemicals and tank-cleaning, police said on Thursday.

Investigators said forensic experts have collected samples to ascertain which chemicals were present in the tank. (HT Photos)

Police said Naresh Yadav, 56, who hailed from Badshahpur, and Mohammad Arif, 21, from Bihar’s Muzaffarpur, were welders at the factory for the past six years, while Anil Jha, 46, who hailed from Nawada in Bihar, was a painter working there for the past 20 years.

A senior police officer said Naresh was the first to enter the underground tank outside the factory building, where various residual chemicals from the manufacturing process had accumulated.

“He soon fainted inside. Anil rushed in to help, but he also collapsed. Subsequently, Arif went inside to help the duo but he also became unconscious and collapsed on the floor of the tank, which was at least 40 feet in length and contained residual chemicals,” he said, according to preliminary investigation.

Investigators said forensic experts have collected samples to ascertain which chemicals were present in the tank.

Rajnish Jha, Anil’s son-in-law, told HT that he was to leave for his home in Bihar’s Nawada to celebrate Chhatth with family.

“He received a call from factory officials who put pressure on him to report for work on Wednesday morning, else his leaves will not be sanctioned,” he said.

Jha said it was due to this that his father-in-law went to the factory by 7.30 am on Wednesday.

Mohammad Asif, Arif’s younger brother, said the factory authorities had put pressure on him to come for duty on Wednesday.

“The official didn’t tell him he was being called to clean a chemical tank; he was just a painter there. No safety equipment like oxygen cylinders or masks were provided to anyone for carrying out the cleaning work. They were neither trained for this, nor had they ever done it in the past,” he alleged.

Mohammad Shahadat, Arif’s cousin, said he was lured to perform the risky job, for which he was not trained, by promising overtime pay.

“Action should be taken against all those company officials responsible for the deaths,” he said.

Inspector Satpal Singh, station house officer of Bhondsi police station, said they were awaiting a forensic analysis report to ascertain what chemicals were present in the tank.

“Bodies were handed over to the families after autopsy. The company officials are yet to be served notices to appear before police for investigation,” he said.

On a complaint from Naresh’s son Yogesh Yadav, an FIR was registered against the company owner, maintenance head, factory head and HR manager under sections 106 (causing death by negligence) and 3(5) (common intention) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita at Bhondsi police station on Wednesday.