Karnataka: 2 men die cleaning septic tank
Two men, Shivakumar Nandurkar (51) and Ratan Hotkar (58), died of suspected asphyxiation while cleaning a septic tank at a house in Kalaburagi, Karnataka.
Nandurkar went in first and got trapped, and Hotkar also entered the tank but both succumbed to asphyxiation.
This tragic incident happened earlier in the day in Madarasanahalli.
Manual cleaning of septic tanks
Police have registered an unnatural death case and are investigating.
Manual cleaning of septic tanks like this has been the focus of legal and policy measures meant to protect workers; authorities have promoted mechanized cleaning and safety precautions, but relevant laws do not always classify such work as 'manual scavenging.'
Sadly, these rules are often ignored across India, putting many lives at risk just like this.