Five days after three workers died while ‘inspecting’ a sewer blockage at Noida’s Sector 110, police are yet to receive a complaint from any of the families. With the Noida Authority telling police that the men had “slipped”, the investigation is likely to rule it as an “accident”, police sources said. The workers had been sent to the spot by a private contractor hired by the Noida Authority. Police said that one of them fell inside, while the others died trying to save him. The Noida Authority has since started a probe into the incident. “We are waiting for the inquiry to be completed. We will approach the police afterwards and action will be taken accordingly,” said Rakesh Kumar Mishra, ACEO, Noida Authority. Officials added that the Noida Authority can initiate “disciplinary proceedings” and take “financial punitive action” against “erring officers”. However, a police officer said, “In other states, the police conduct an investigation and the corporation does the same. Right now, our hands are tied.” SSP Gautam Budh Nagar, Love Kumar, said, “We have not received any complaint from the families, nor have we received one from the Noida Authority.” Sources in the Authority said the inquiry is likely to be completed in a week, with an official maintaining that “witness statements” are being recorded, along with those of the families. The police’s prime facie investigation, meanwhile, has underscored four key facets, which — if a complaint is filed — they will investigate: *The three men were trying to check the blockage, and partially clear it with the help of a long bamboo stick, said police. A senior police officer said, “The bamboo stick was recovered from the scene and this was corroborated by an eyewitness.” *Police said there was no safety equipment or gear recovered from the spot. Family members of the victims told The Indian Express that they “didn’t get safety gear from contractors, who had promised to pay them Rs 300 or so”. This was the first time the trio, who otherwise worked as plumbers, had gone to clean a sewer, the families claimed. *The Authority said they had “provided sewer cleaning machines” to the contractor, which an official said “were present at the site”. However, a police officer said, “If this was the first time they were cleaning a sewer, there is reason to believe they might not have known how to operate it.” *The district magistrate had ordered the Authority to ensure “strict action be taken” against those responsible, but the contractor is still at large.
