Worker dies in sewer accident in New Friends Colony

A tragic accident occurred in New Friends Colony, south-east Delhi, on Sunday evening, resulting in the death of a 43-year-old worker and injuries to two others. The deceased, Panth Lal Chander, and his brother Ramkishan Chander, along with their cousin's nephew Shiv Das, entered a manhole to fix a leakage. They became trapped by toxic fumes. Police reported that residents alerted them at around 4 PM when they noticed the workers had collapsed inside the manhole. Authorities responded quickly, but Panth was pronounced dead on arrival at a local hospital. Ramkishan is in critical condition, while Shiv Das has been stabilized. The Delhi Jal Board (DJB) has denied any involvement, stating that the men were not their workers. They claimed there was no authorized work being conducted at the site on that day. An investigation is underway, and the police have registered a case under laws related to culpable homicide and manual scavenging. Locals have shared that the men lacked safety gear while attempting to repair the leakage. The incident has raised concerns over safety practices, despite laws prohibiting manual scavenging without proper equipment. The family of the deceased is devastated, as Panth was their sole provider, leaving behind a wife and five children. Authorities are now searching for the contractor responsible for the work, as the DJB continues to assert that they were unaware of any ongoing activities at the site.