Sarpanch held after 3 die of asphyxiation while cleaning drainage line in Gujarat

After some time, when the trio failed to respond to calls, another labourer, Bhavesh Katara, entered the drainage line. He, however, immediately shouted for help after facing breathing difficulty and was rescued by another labourer, Jignesh Parmar.

Officials of the fire department and the Dahej police reached the spot and the three labourers’ bodies were recovered from the deep drainage line and sent to the Bharuch civil hospital for a postmortem.

Ramilaben Parmar, wife of Anip Parmar, lodged complaint against sarpanch Rana and Gohil and the Dahej police registered an FIR under Indian Penal Code sections 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and 114 (abettor present when offence is committed) and sections 8 and 9 of the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavenger and their Rehabilitation Act.

Both the accused had escaped from the village but police arrested them on Sunday evening.

Rajnibhai Manat, the village talati, was suspended on the orders of the district development officer, after the incident.

According to sources, the arrested sarpanch is an influential BJP leader in the district.

Talking to The Indian Express, Bharuch district Superintendent of police Leena Patil said, “These labourers were working for the gram panchayat. We are trying to find out whom the contract was given by the sarpanch and others for the cleaning activities. We are carrying out further investigations.”