Two sanitation workers died and as many others are in serious condition after they reportedly inhaled some poisonous gas while cleaning a sewage tank here today, police said.
"The incident occurred in Saispura locality where one Vishnu Batham had called the sanitation workers for cleaning his sewage tank," Kotwali police station incharge RKS Rathore told reporters.
According to police, the workers, identified as Rajendra Valmiki (28), Deepak Dataram (25) and Balmukund Khare (40) entered into the chamber wih a ladder, but Valmiki and Dataram died soon after, apparently after inhaling some poisonous gas.
However, Khare came out and ran for safety but fell on ground before becoming unconscious.
"Another worker, identified as Kalyan Valmiki (32), then tried to enter the chamber in search of his two colleagues but he too became unconscious," Rathore said, adding that both Khare and Valmiki were rushed to district hospital and are in serious condition.
Meanwhile, enraged over the incident, sanitation workers created a ruckus at Batham's house following which he, along with his family, fled for safety.
Though these four sanitation workers were daily wagers with the local civic body, it's Chief Municipal Officer Ashok Rawat said that they have not taken any formal permission from the concerned department to carry out the job and were doing it privately.
"Normally, civic body provides vacuum cleaner for clearing sewage chambers," he said.
