3 Sanitation Workers Die Of Suffocation While Cleaning Sewer In Tamil Nadu

Three sanitation workers, including one from Rajasthan, died of suspected suffocation while cleaning a ballast tank inside a barge at the Old Port in Thoothukudi district of Tamil Nadu on Wednesday. 

Investigators said the men collapsed after inhaling poisonous gas that had accumulated in the lower section of the vessel.

The workers were identified as Sandeep Kumar (25) of Rajasthan, Jenison Thomas (35) from Punnakayal in Thoothukudi district, and Siron George (23) of Uvari in Tirunelveli district. 

The barge, owned by Muktha Infra, had reportedly docked at the Old Port to load construction materials for supply to Sri Lanka and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

According to officials, poisonous gas had built up in the tank due to stagnant water. Although the section was opened in advance to allow the gases to disperse, the three men are believed to have entered without proper precautions. Investigators confirmed that the workers were not given any safety gear before being assigned the task.

A police officer told NDTV, "The workers did not wear any safety gear, nor were they given. We are investigating." The officer added, "The first person who entered went silent, then another got in for him, and when he wasn't heard, the third person went in looking for him. All have died."

Their bodies were sent to the Thoothukudi Government Hospital for post-mortem. Police teams led by Deputy Superintendent Madan from the Central Police Station have begun investigations, though no arrests have been made so far.

Meanwhile, the incident has triggered outrage in the fishing villages of Thoothukudi and Tirunelveli districts. Representatives from Punnakayal, Alandhalai, Manappadu, and Uvari submitted a petition to the District Superintendent of Police demanding that the barge owner, the captain, and those responsible be booked for murder and arrested immediately.

The families of the victims have refused to accept the bodies, insisting on a compensation of Rs 4 crore each, amounting to Rs 12 crore in total. They alleged gross negligence on the part of the company in failing to provide protective equipment.

Villagers also demanded that the barge should not be allowed to leave the Thoothukudi port until compensation is paid and arrests are made.

"We won't receive the bodies until justice is done. Our demand is Rs 4 crore for each family and immediate arrest of those responsible," said a relative of one of the victims. Leaders from local fishermen associations echoed the demand, warning of intensified protests if the authorities failed to act.

The deaths have once again raised questions over workplace safety standards in Tamil Nadu's shipping and port-linked industries, where labourers are often engaged in high-risk jobs without adequate safety measures.