Three sanitation workers employed by the Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA) died in an accident at the Kolkata Leather Complex in Bantala early on Sunday morning. The incident occurred at Plot No. 452 of the industrial area. The deceased have been identified as Farzem Sheikh, Hasi Sheikh, and Suman Sardar. Police sources indicate the workers entered a pipeline for cleaning but did not resurface.
After some time, authorities were alerted, and a rescue team was sent to the scene. Police and the fire department recovered the bodies. Initial investigations suggest suffocation due to toxic fumes from industrial waste as the likely cause of death, but post-mortem examinations will confirm this. Authorities are also investigating whether adequate safety measures were in place. This incident has caused public anger, particularly as it comes just three days after the Supreme Court issued strict prohibitions against manual scavenging in six major Indian cities, including Kolkata. Despite a 2013 law banning manual cleaning of sewers and manholes without protective measures, these dangerous practices persist, resulting in avoidable deaths.
Reports suggest the workers were cleaning a drainage pipeline when one of them failed to return. The other two entered the pipeline in an attempted rescue, but none survived. Witnesses from the cleanup crew, who had travelled from Murshidabad for the work, corroborated this account. Rescue operations are continuing to ensure no one else is trapped. Ropes and other equipment are being used to recover the bodies. Officials noted that the drainage system had not been cleaned for some time, creating hazardous working conditions. This incident has again raised serious concerns about the enforcement of safety regulations for sanitation workers. Despite legal protections, their lack of implementation continues to endanger lives.