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Pune septic tank deaths: Wife alleges husband was forced to enter tank, building owner arrested
The Pune police on Thursday arrested a 37-year-old man for causing the death of four persons who died while cleaning a septic tank on Wednesday.
PUNE Following the death of four people after inhaling toxic gases inside a septic tank, one of the deceased’s wife alleged that her husband was forced by the owner of a building to enter the septic tank. An FIR was filed by the wife Padmakar Maruti Waghmare, a watchman living in Jai Malhare building who died while attempting to save three workers involved in repairing and cleaning a septic tank.
Subsequently, the Pune police on Thursday arrested a 37-year-old man for causing the death of four persons who died while cleaning a septic tank on Wednesday.
The arrested man has been identified as Bhimaji Jaysingh Kalbhor, 37, a resident of Sidram mala area of Loni Kalbhor area of Haveli in Pune.
Three of the victims died while repairing and manually cleaning the sludge from the septic tank, while the fourth died when he attempted to save them, said officials.
The deceased were identified as Padmakar Maruti Waghmare, 36, a watchman living in Jai Malhare building in Patahre vasti area in Kadamvak vasti; Sikandar alias Dada Popat Kasbe, 44, a resident of Sambhajinagar in Kadamvak vasti; Krushna Datta Jadhav, 25, a resident of Pathare vasti; and Rupchand Navnath Kamble, 35, a contractor residing in Ghorpade vasti area of Kadamvak vasti, according to the police.
The complaint was lodged by the wife of the watchman Waghmare, Rajnandini Waghmare, 26, a resident of Pathare vasti. She claimed in her complaint that her husband had returned from a night shift when he was forced to wake up and join those in the septic tank even though it was not his job.
“The complainant’s husband Padmakar Waghmare who was not related to the work of the septic tank, was also forced to enter the contaminated water in the tank and due to air in the tank, the complainant’s husband and other workers suffocated which makes the accused responsible for all their deaths,” read a police statement based on her complaint.
A case under Section 304(a) of Indian Penal Code along with Sections 7 and 9 of Prohibition of Employment and Manual Scavenging and Rehabilitation Act, 2013 has been registered at Loni Kalbhor police station. Police sub-inspector Bhagwat Shendage is investigating the case.
