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Two workers die after being trapped in Nigdi BSNL duct; same spot claimed three lives last year
The same spot had claimed three lives in a similar incident during August last year, taking the death toll at the location to five within a year.
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Pune: Two workers, part of conservancy staff, died after being trapped inside an underground BSNL duct in Nigdi Pradhikaran late on Wednesday. Police said the workers were rescued and taken to Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial (YCM) Hospital, where doctors declared them dead on arrival.
The deceased have been identified as Manoj Baburao Shinde, 26, and Amol Ashok Shinde,19, both natives of Siddheshwar village in Aundha taluka of Hingoli district, police said.
Importantly, the same spot had claimed three lives in a similar incident during August last year, taking the death toll at the location to five within a year.
Nigdi police inspector Mahesh Bansode said police were alerted around 11.45 pm on Wednesday that two persons were trapped inside the chamber. “We reached the spot, rescued them and took them to YCM Hospital. However, doctors declared both of them dead on arrival,” he said.
The workers reportedly entered an underground chamber near Lokmanya Hospital in Nigdi Pradhikaran. A rescue operation was launched with the assistance of the fire brigade after police were alerted.
Bansode said the identities of the deceased, the agency they worked for and who had authorised them to enter the chamber were being ascertained. “We are investigating the circumstances under which they entered the chamber and who was responsible for the work,” he said.
Bansode said the duct is associated with BSNL and police are also making inquiries with BSNL officials, though it has not yet been conclusively established whether the deceased were carrying out BSNL-related work.
The exact cause of death is yet to be established. Police are awaiting medical and post-mortem reports to determine whether the workers died due to suffocation, lack of oxygen, exposure to toxic gases or other causes.
“A case of culpable homicide was registered at Nigdi police station in connection with last year’s incident. With the two deaths reported now, a total of five people have died in this duct so far,” Bansode said. The FIR was yet to be registered.
On August 15, 2025, Lakhan Dhaware, 35, and Dattatray Vhanale, 38, both residents of Chinchwad and originally from Dharashiv, and Sahebrao Geershete, 35, a resident of Bijalinagar in Chinchwad and originally from Chandrapur, had died of suffocation while working inside the duct.
The recent incident has raised fresh concerns over safety protocols for workers entering underground utility chambers, particularly since the same location witnessed a similar tragedy last year.
