A Life Lost in the Depths: Manager Arrested After Delhi Sewer Death Exposes Shocking Negligence

In a grim reminder of the perilous and often fatal conditions faced by sanitation workers, a manager of a private firm has been apprehended following the tragic death of a labourer in a sewer in Delhi's Shahdara. The incident, which unfolded on October 18, saw Mohammad Arif, a diligent worker, succumb to asphyxiation after being sent into the noxious depths of a sewer without a shred of essential safety equipment.

His death has not only devastated a family but also ignited a fresh wave of outrage over the blatant disregard for human life and labour laws.

The horrifying sequence of events began when Arif was directed to clean a sewer line in the Kanti Nagar area. In a shocking display of negligence, his employers at Krishna Enterprises provided no masks, oxygen cylinders, ropes, or any form of protective gear—tools that are not just standard safety measures but lifelines in such hazardous environments.

Arif entered the sewer, only to be overwhelmed by toxic fumes and gases, leading to his collapse.

Desperate attempts by other workers to rescue Arif proved futile and dangerous. One colleague, in a courageous but ill-equipped effort, also fell ill after inhaling the toxic gases, highlighting the extreme risks inherent in such unregulated work.

By the time emergency services arrived, it was tragically too late for Arif.

Following the incident, a First Information Report (FIR) was promptly lodged against the owner of Krishna Enterprises, Ankit Kumar, and the firm's manager, Prabhu Dayal, at the Shahdara police station. The charges initially included sections 304A (causing death by negligence) and 284 (negligent conduct with respect to poisonous substance) of the Indian Penal Code.

However, police investigations, which clearly pointed to a severe lack of precaution and a direct failure to provide mandated safety gear, led to the arrest of manager Prabhu Dayal. Authorities are now considering amending the FIR to include Section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), a more stringent charge that underscores the gravity of the employer's culpability.

This tragedy is far from an isolated incident.

Delhi, like many other Indian cities, has a distressing history of sewer-related deaths, often involving manual scavengers who are forced to engage in this dehumanizing and deadly work despite a nationwide ban on manual scavenging. These incidents repeatedly expose the glaring loopholes in enforcement, the exploitation of vulnerable workers, and the systemic failure to prioritize human safety over cost-cutting.

Arif’s death serves as a stark reminder that until strict compliance with safety norms and robust legal accountability are established, the sewers will continue to claim innocent lives, turning routine maintenance into a death trap for the most marginalized.