Even after protests against manual scavenging in Chennai last week, three people died due to suffocation inside a septic tank on Tuesday morning in Thoraipakkam.

The three sanitary workers are Saravanan, Muthu and Muruggan from Kannagi Nagar in Chennai.

“On Tuesday morning at 8 am, these three men went into the septic tank of Thalappakatti Biryani restaurant in Okkiyampet. They died after getting suffocated by the gases inside the septic tank,” said Sunil, Treasurer, Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI).

He added that another sanitary worker, who was helping the three men, is also in a critical condition and has been admitted to the Royapettah Government Hospital.

The police have registered a case and have taken out the bodies from the tank. “We have not yet been told under what sections the police complaint has been registered,” said Sunil.

Activist Narayanan of Change India feels it is the government’s mistake. “This is a huge crime by the government and these men have been murdered by the government's apathy,” he said.