A 40-year-old man died of asphyxiation while cleaning a septic tank in Ranipet district on Tuesday, May 16. The unfortunate incident occurred at approximately 11:30 pm in a private tannery located at SIPCOT in Ranipet. The victim, identified as Tamil Selvan, hailed from Sadupperi village in Vellore. 

He went inside the 15-feet deep septic tank to remove the silt in it. However, concern arose when there was no response from him after he ventured inside. It is suspected that he collapsed after inhaling the toxic gas present within the tank. In a valiant attempt to rescue Tamil Selvan, other workers also entered the tank but unfortunately fell unconscious.

According to The Hindu, a total of seven workers had been hired for the septic tank cleaning operation. Presently, three of them are undergoing treatment at the Government Taluk Hospital in Walajah Town. Promptly alerted, firefighters and police personnel from Ranipet SIPCOT rushed to the tannery premises and successfully rescued the four affected individuals. They were immediately transported to the nearby hospital in Walajah Town for urgent medical attention.

Reports said that Tamil Selvan was brought dead to the hospital at 12:30 am. The others were admitted in the ICU and remained under observation for a while. Providing an update, a doctor informed The Hindu that the condition of the three workers has stabilized.

Meanwhile, a case has been registered by the SIPCOT police under Section 304 (ii) (Culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the Indian Penal Code and under the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013 and The Scheduled Castes and Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. A probe is underway in the matter.