Two labourers die while cleaning sewer in Patna

Two labourers working with L & T Construction company under the Namami Ganga project died after inhaling toxic gases while cleaning a sewer, near Beur jail in Patna on Monday

Two labourers working with L & T Construction company under the Namami Ganga project died after inhaling toxic gases while cleaning a sewer, near Beur jail in Patna on Monday.

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An eyewitness said, “The incident took place around 12.30 pm when one labourer entered the drain for cleaning the sewer and fell unconscious. Seeing no movement, another labourer went down to check on him. However, he also started feeling suffocated and fainted within a few minutes. In the meantime, the employees of L & T escaped from the spot. Soon, locals informed the police,” he added.

On getting information, SHO of Beur police station Manish Kumar rushed to the spot and fished out the bodies with the help of JCB machine and sent them to PMCH for treatment where the doctors declared them brought dead. The L & T officers did not even identify the bodies of both labourers. Later, a man hailing from the same village identified the bodies as of Mohammad Idarish and Mohammad Iqbal, both residents of Murshidabad in West Bengal.

SHO said, “Both the labourers were rescued from the 25-feet underground drain after a 45-minute operation. They died because of inhaling methane gas produced in the sewer.”

He said, “Soon after the incident, supervisor and contractors escaped from the spot. The police are looking into the matter.”

Meanwhile, Raman Kumar, MD of Buidco, executing the Beur project, did not respond to repeated calls and messages for comment.