Published Nov 23, 2023 | 6:18 PM ⚊ Updated Nov 23, 2023 | 6:18 PM
The water sump. Pic supplied
Two migrant workers from Bihar died while cleaning a sump at a factory under the Bengaluru Rural police limits.
Two others — factory owner Srinivas Reddy and manager Jagadish — were admitted to a hospital after they collapsed while trying to save the workers.
The police identified the deceased as Chandan Raj Singh and Pinto Rajban Singh, both in their 30s. The cops said they might have died of asphyxiation.
The incident occurred at the Sunshine Moulding Factory at Tirupalya in Bengaluru Rural’s Anekal taluk around 5 pm on Wednesday, 22 November.
Chandan and Pinto poured some acid into the sump after draining out the water. They then got down into the sump to clean it but fell unconscious.
When they did not respond, Srinivas and Jagadish entered the sump and also fell unconscious. Other factory workers alerted the police and the fire department.
Fire department officials, wearing oxygen masks, entered the sump, brought out the four men, and rushed them to a hospital, where Chandan and Pinto were declared dead on arrival.
A senior police officer told South First that the sump should left open for a while after the acid is poured in. “This is to allow the toxic fumes to escape,” he said.
“The Hebbagodi police have registered a case of criminal negligence causing accidental deaths and have booked both the manager and the factory owner, Jagadish, and Srinivas Reddy, respectively, under IPC Section 304-A and are probing further,” Anekal Subdivision DySP Mohan Kumar BS told South First.
The bodies were handed over to the relatives on Thursday, 23 November, after post-mortem examinations.
The Hebbagodi police are expected to record the statements of Jagadish and Srinivas Reddy after they recover.
