Three drown in septic tank trying to save colleague

Tribune News Service

Gurugram, September 30

Three employees of an auto company died and one was critically injured after entering a septic tank on the premises of the company here today. The deceased have been identified as Rajkumar (25), Rinku (19) and Nanhe (40), while Vineesh (25) was injured. They all worked in the housekeeping department of Jai Auto Component Ltd.

Sources said none of the employee was wearing safety gear. Around 10.30 am, Vineesh went inside the tank to clean it. Within minutes, he started drowning in the muck and felt suffocated due to poisonous gases. He started screaming for help and the other three workers rushed to help him. The trio jumped into the tank and tried to pull him out. Meanwhile, other workers also gathered there and they somehow managed to pull Vineesh out, but the remaining three drowned in the tank. Fire brigade was called, but it was too late for fire brigade officials to rescue them and they could recover their bodies only.

Vineesh was rushed to hospital where he condition was stated to be critical.

Poonam, wife of Nanhe, blamed the company for the death of her husband.

The police registered a case at Sector 37 police station against the management of the company.