Two asphyxiated in Tiptur manhole

The accident occurred when they were constructing a 15-foot deep manhole as part of underground drainage (UGD) work. Six months ago, a worker had died when a UGD pipeline wall collapsed in Sharada Nagar.

Police have identified the dead as Jagadish, 24, supervisor of the KBR Company, which has taken the contract for UGD work and Dharma, 28, a worker with the company. Jagadish hailed from KB Hala village in Chikmagalur district while Dharma was from Kenkere in Gandasi hobli in Hassan district.

Dharma, had descended into the manhole to measure the depth on Saturday evening. However, he died due to lack of oxygen. Jagadish, who rushed to rescue Dharma, may also have been asphyxiated, police said.

The colleagues of Jagadish grew suspicious when the latter didn’t return even after 9 pm and started to search for him.

Based on the details given by another Supervisor Sadananda Gowda, who had spotted slippers outside the manhole near Link Road, they found two bodies inside the manhole which had six foot water, they added.

The bodies were lifted with the help of fire brigade personnel around 1 am on Sunday.

The city police have registered a case of negligence against the company. The bodies were handed over the family members after post mortem on Sunday.

The company agreed to pay a compensation of Rs 4.5 lakh to the kin of the deceased after the intervention of MLA B C Nagesh. Jagadish was unmarried while Dharma was married and had a daughter. Dharma had lost his earlier job in an iron ore mining company and had joined the new job a week ago.