เคนเคฟเคเคฆเฅ เคฎเฅเค เคชเคขเคผเฅเค เฅค As the city of Indore prepared for Holi celebrations, silence hung over Harijan Mohalla, a settlement located across the railway tracks beneath the Juni Indore bridge. Two sanitation workers โ Karan Yadav (26) and Ajay Dodia (35) โ died on March 2 after entering a sewage hole during a cleaning operation.
The Indore Municipal Corporationโs dewatering machine had reached the Choithram Mandi area to clear a sewage chamber. Sanitation workers Karan and Ajay were present along with the corporationโs driver, Akbar. However, no municipal official was present at the site to supervise the operation.
During the cleaning work, a small pipe from the dewatering machine fell into the pit. Ajay climbed down into the chamber to retrieve it. When he did not come out, Karan entered the sewage hole to rescue him. Both men died inside the sewer.
Viral videos and eyewitness accounts indicate that neither worker was wearing protective equipment such as masks or boots.
The sequence of events unfolded over nearly two hours, but no municipal officials arrived at the scene during that time. According to Rajendra Nagar police station inspector Neeraj Birathre, residents attempted to rescue the workers.
โThey had been inside the sewer for a long time. People nearby tried to save them. By the time they were brought out with the help of ropes, it was already too late,โ Birathre said, adding that a case of accidental death has been registered and the investigation is ongoing. The post-mortem report is still awaited.
The municipal corporation assigns vehicles to each zone to pump out wastewater and clean sewer lines. The accident occurred in the area served by the vehicle responsible for Zones 13, 14, 15, and 21. These vehicles collect waste from sewer lines and discharge it into the cityโs primary drainage network.
Sanitation workers who clean sewer lines usually finish their work before evening. The vehicles return to their zones or workshops, and workers are typically off duty before 5 pm. However, this incident occurred later in the evening after regular work hours had ended.
After the accident, municipal officials quickly issued statements and announced compensation.
A Family Left Behind
Six years ago, Karan Yadav married Kavita Yadav (26). They both have a five-year-old son, Kunal. Their house is now filled with relatives, while the child plays cricket outside, unaware of what has happened.
Karan was the sole earner in the family. Kavita recalled their last conversation.
โI last spoke to him in the afternoon. He told me he had a small task to finish and would return soon. Day or night, rain or shine, the corporation could call him to work anytime,โ she said.
โAs it got late, we received a call saying Karan had some problem with the โgasโ and was in the hospital. No one told us he had died. There was no trained officer with them at the site. Today, the mayor announced โน30 lakh as compensation and promised a jobโฆ I donโt want this to happen to anyone else.โ
Just three houses away lives Ajayโs family. Ajay and his wife Sonu (30) had no children. His elderly mother also lived with them. Ajay was the only earning member. Under the tin roof of their small house, family members sit quietly. There is not even a framed photograph of Ajay on the wall.
โMy entire life has been destroyed,โ Sonu said. โAfter the incident, the mayor and officials came home. They gave us a cheque and promised a job on the muster roll. They said they have taken cognizance of the incident and assured us of assistance.โ
Corporation Denies Responsibility
The Indore Municipal Corporation has maintained that the two deceased workers were not municipal employees but outsourced workers. Additional Municipal Commissioner Ashish Pathak said, โThey were not municipal employees. There are many sewer holes across the city, and the work is done using machines. Workers are instructed not to enter the pits.โ
The Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and Their Rehabilitation Act, 2013 regulates the hazardous cleaning of sewers and septic tanks by municipal employees.
Under the law, at least three workers must be present during such operations. One of them must act as a supervisor. Workers must be equipped with safety gear. Toxic gases must be tested before entry.
Supervisors are responsible for ensuring that safety protocols are followed. This includes testing for poisonous gases such as hydrogen sulfide, carbon monoxide, and methane using gas detectors or other testing tools.
Violations of these safety norms can lead to imprisonment or fines. Municipal officials say workers were instructed not to enter the manhole. However, questions remain: would the workers have entered the pit if a supervisor had been present?
The Supreme Courtโs guidelines ensured that both families received compensation, which the mayor personally delivered. Though the family members ask who is responsible for their loved ones’ deaths? And, just because they are outsourced, who will be held accountable?
Santosh Kalyane (55), national president of the Valmiki Sena, said the incident reflects a larger systemic problem. โThe Indore Municipal Corporation has around 11,000 workers. Only about 1,100โ1,200 are permanent employees. Around 2,000 recruits are outsourced workers,โ he said.
โIncidents like this happen not just in Indore but across the country. The question is: why was there no supervisor at the site? Why was there no safety equipment for the workers when their bodies were pulled out? Why did no municipal officials reach the spot even after the incident?โ
He added that although the corporation refused to recognise the deceased as its employees, they were ultimately hired through municipal contracts.
โWhen the commissioner goes on inspections and finds even a minor lapse, workers lose their jobs immediately. Will municipal officials now accept their mistake and face similar consequences?โ he asked.
The post-mortem report is expected to be made public at the end of the week. The story will be updated to reflect the related updates.
This video report was filmed by Yuvraj Singh Chouhan and produced by Rajeev Tyagi.
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