Bengaluru: A 12-foot-deep manhole turned into a deathtrap for two labourers, who suffocated and died while cleaning it, on Jayamahal Second Main Road on Tuesday afternoon. The incident occurred just a few yards from the official residence of Social Welfare Minister H. Anjaneya and in front of the Income Tax and Central Excise Department quarters.
The deceased have been identified as Prasanna Kumar (29), a resident of M S Palya and an assistant to contractor Nagaraj, and Yathish Raju alias Sethu (28), a resident of Shivajinagar.
The incident occurred around 12.50 pm when Sethu went inside the 12 feet deep and fell unconscious within minutes after inhaling poisonous gases. Kumar, another labourer with them, noticed Sethu collapsing and asked Prasanna to get into the manhole to save Sethu. But Prasanna, too, fell unconscious.
Kumar raised an alarm and a few passersby rushed to the spot and alerted the control room. Immediately, eight firemen were sent to the spot and they pulled the bodies out. Sethu and Prasanna were rushed to Mahaveer Jain Hospital, where they were declared brought dead, the police said. J.C. Nagar police have booked a case of negligence against the PWD contractor Nagraj.
