Two men found dead inside manhole in Delhi

Police suspect the deceased were thieves who entered the manhole to steal cables but died during the process.

While the men entered the manhole Tuesday evening, their bodies were found hours later. One of the deceased was later identified as Saleem, a resident of Batla House. The other person is yet to be identified. Both bodies were taken to AIIMS Hospital and have been preserved. Police said they are trying to reach his mother.

A group of locals and policemen tried to enter the manhole but it was “suffocating” and “hot”. Even the fire and police officers who went down the manhole to recover the bodies “fell ill” due to the gases inside, according to police sources.

As per senior police officers, the traffic policemen at Mathura Road found a manhole open and saw a body.

Rajesh Deo, DCP (Southeast), said: “We received a call about the open manhole and a body lying inside. An investigating officer called the Delhi Fire Services and crime teams. The fire officials who entered the manhole also fell sick because of the gases. They found two bodies lying near each other. When the bodies were pulled out, we saw the men had no visible injuries. We also found a few cut wires. We think they entered the manhole Tuesday night to steal the copper wires but died.”

Sources said the men entered inside on Tuesday and when they reached down, they allegedly shut the manhole cover. “The manhole had a cover and was shut. They opened it and went inside. To avoid being seen, they put the cover back. The gases inside suffocated them and they died. We found that they had planned to steal the MTNL wires. Since the MTNL connection is dysfunctional there, these wires have been lying for a long time. These are cables with copper wires. The cut wires have been recovered. The manhole was shut again as the gases are extremely toxic” said an officer who refused to be named.

“During the investigation, we found that Saleem was a history sheeter with at least 12-13 theft cases registered against him in Delhi. He was also convicted in a few cases. We are trying to identify the second person. The cause has been declared as “death due to inhaling poisonous gases,” said police officials.