Four labourers from Bihar died of asphyxiation while cleaning a septic tank in Surat’s Palsana locality, the police have said. The incident occurred at a dyeing factory on Palsana-Katodara road on Tuesday evening.
Initially, two labourers fell unconscious while cleaning the septic tank. Two other labourers tried to rescue them but they also fainted, said an official of Palsana police station. All four labourers were taken out of the tank and rushed to the hospital where doctors declared them dead, the police official said.
Identities of the deceased labourers, who came from Bihar, are being ascertained, the police official added.
HL Rathore, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Bardoli Division, said the senior officials of the factory were being questioned regarding the matter.
"Four workers had gone to clean the (septic) tank and died due to suffocation. Further investigation is underway. We are questioning seniors of the factory...All the four deceased are the residents of Bihar," DSP Rathore stated.
Upon receiving a call at 6.30 am on Wednesday morning, the police arrived at the scene and found the workers unconscious. After extracting them and rushing them to the hospital, doctors declared them brought dead.
"We received a call at 6:30 am on Wednesday following which a team reached the spot and discovered that four workers had allegedly died due to suffocation," an official reported.
The development comes days after a person from Bihar died in a stampede while trying to board a Bhagalpur-bound train from Surat railway station ahead of Chhath festival. Several other people were also injured as they tried to board the Bihar-bound Tapti Ganga Express train. Videos showing police officers performing CPR on those who collapsed during the stampede went viral on social media.
Several busy railway stations have been witnessing massive crowds due to the festive season, with thousands of migrant workers heading to their home states.