Two Workers Die in Nuh Sewer After Being Asked to Clean Drain

Two men died after being sent into a sewer without safety gear in Firozpur Jhirka’s Ambedkar Chowk area, exposing alleged negligence and violations of safety norms in sanitation work. The victims, identified as Abdul Kalam, 30, from Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh, and Rajendra Kumar, 27, a sweeper, were reportedly instructed to enter a 25-foot-deep drain late Tuesday under unsafe conditions.

According to police and family accounts, Abdul was a labourer who typically worked in sewer line construction, not manual sewer cleaning. However, he was allegedly directed by contractor Taufik to assist in cleaning the sewer despite it not being part of his regular job profile. Without any protective equipment or safety gear, he entered the drain after Rajendra Kumar had already gone inside.

Family members said Rajendra Kumar entered the sewer first to carry out cleaning work when he failed to come out. Moments later, Abdul reportedly followed him inside in an attempt to rescue him after noticing that he did not resurface. Both men became trapped inside the confined underground space, triggering panic among those present at the site.

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Rescue efforts were initiated soon after the incident, and an earthmover was used to retrieve the bodies from the sewer. However, both men were declared dead, highlighting serious concerns about the lack of safety protocols and adherence to labour protection laws in hazardous cleaning operations.

Following the incident, police have registered a case against contractor Taufik, a junior engineer, and a sub-divisional officer in connection with alleged negligence and violations that led to the deaths. The case has brought renewed attention to the continuing practice of manual sewer entry without safety equipment, despite regulations prohibiting such activities.

Authorities are expected to conduct a detailed investigation into the circumstances that led to the incident, including whether proper safety arrangements and authorised procedures were followed. The tragedy has once again raised urgent questions about worker safety, accountability in civic contracts, and enforcement of laws designed to prevent such deaths.

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