Vijay Kumar, 20, of Paunga village of Bareli district of Uttar Pradesh drowned while cleaning a water tank of the Hamirpur town water supply scheme at Hiranagar area here on Sunday.
He was deployed by a private contractor to perform the cleaning of the water tank, a spokesman for the police department said.
He said Kumar was cleaning the tank with the help of his three colleagues when his foot got stuck in a big pipe. He and his colleagues tried their best to take him out, but due to heavy flow of water in the tank, he got drowned in the tank. His body was later retrieved from the tank by police jawans.
The spokesman said Kumar was taken to the local zonal hospital, where he was declared brought dead.
The Hamirpur police have registered a case and the cause behind the accident was being ascertained.
The Hamirpur water supply scheme came under scanner for supplying muddy water to people of the town, following which the department had given the job of cleaning the main water tank at Hiranagar area of the town to a local contractor.
The contractor deployed a team to clean the tank of silt. However, the cleaning operation claimed a life.
{{/usCountry}}The contractor deployed a team to clean the tank of silt. However, the cleaning operation claimed a life.
{{/usCountry}}An official spokesman said the next of the kin of the deceased would be given immediate financial help as it was a serious issue.
Meanwhile, locals demand a thorough probe into the death of Kumar.