Jaipur: 4 workers enter septic tank on promise of extra money, die of toxic fumes

Jaipur: Four men who entered a septic tank in Sitapura Industrial Area here to retrieve gold and silver particles died of toxic fumes, police said on Tuesday.

The incident occurred late Monday night in a jewel factory in G-Block of the Jewellery Zone.

The deceased were identified as Sanjeev Pal, Himanshu Singh, Rohit Pal, and Arpit Yadav, police said.

Two more workers, Ajay Chauhan and Rajpal, were rushed in critical condition to the Mahatma Gandhi Hospital, while two others, Amit Pal and Suraj Pal, were discharged after primary medical care.

The workers had gone down a 10-foot-deep tank after which they allegedly lost consciousness.

Initially, the workers refused to enter the tank due to the intense heat and presence of toxic gases. However, the company management persuaded them with the promise of extra money, initial reports state.

Amit and Rohit, who were the first to descend into the tank, began gasping and calling for help immediately. The remaining six went down the tank quickly to help the first two out but also fell unconscious.

The septic tank allegedly contained a chemical sludge, believed to be carrying hold particles of gold and silver, residue from the jewellery manufacturing and cleaning processes, a police source stated.

The sludge is periodically cleaned to extract valuable metals, a practice not uncommon in jewellery units.

The Rajasthan State Human Rights Commission issued notices to the Jaipur Collector and Police Commissioner.