A conservancy worker allegedly suffocated to death after he inhaled poisonous gases while cleaning a septic tank in Coimbatore on Thursday.
Mahendiran worked as a conservancy worker with the Coimbatore Corporation. He also used attend to calls from people who wanted their septic tanks to be cleaned.
On Thursday morning, he left to Gandhipuram on a call from an apartment opposite to the Kerala Samajam building on 100 feet road. It is believed that he died after inhaling poisonous gases while cleaning the tank in the apartment.
Speaking to TNM, Krishnan, Mahendiran’s uncle said, “He left home at 5 am and the next thing I get to know is that he died. I went to the location and took the body to the Coimbatore Government Hospital for post-mortem.”
An FIR has been registered in the Rathinapuri police station under IPC section 284 (Negligent conduct with respect to poisonous substance) and sections 7 and 9 of the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavenger & their Rehabilitation Act, 2013.
However, the FIR does not mention the name of the accused.
Speaking to TNM, a police officer in charge of the case said, “We are yet to receive the post-mortem report. Once we receive it, we will know the reason behind the death and based on that arrests will be made and an investigation will be carried out.”
Members of Aathi Thamizhar Katchi met the District Collector on Friday and submitted a petition alleging that the police is trying to save the accused and to intervene and ensure that appropriate action is taken on the people who employed Mahendiran to do manual scavenging work.
Mahendiran is survived by his wife Karthika and two children aged eight and seven.