Two days after a 48-year-old man died while cleaning a sewer pit inside the lNJP hospital, Delhi Police on Tuesday arrested a store keeper or beldar in connection with the matter.
Mandeep Singh Randhawa, DCP (Central) said, “Prem Sagar (50) has been arrested under IPC Sections 304/308/34 IPC & 7/9 prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavenger & Their rehabilitation Act 2013. He is working with PWD lNJP as Beldar/store keeper.”
On Sunday afternoon, at around 1 pm, Rishi Pal along with Bishan Singh, Kiran Pal Kumar and Sumit were called to the premises of the lNJP Hospital by a private contractor Piyush. Investigators said that the sewer work was handed over to Piyush by the Public Works Department,” said a senior police
officer.
“At around 1 pm, Rishi Pal went inside the sewer pit after which Bishan and Kiran went inside. When the trio did not come up for a long time, Sumit became suspicious and went inside the pit to check. When he too did not come up, passers-by gathered around the pit and informed the hospital authorities.
The hospital authorities in turn informed the Delhi Police and the Delhi Fire Service.
A team from the fire department went inside the pit and pulled out the workers who had lost consciousness.
By the time, the labourers were admitted in the hospital, Rishi Pal died.