A 30-year-old man, working on contract with Jusco's health and sanitation wing, died of asphyxiation in Jamshedpur on Tuesday morning after his supervisor allegedly sent him down a 20-feet-deep sewer manhole on the company's premises to fetch a gas measurement equipment that the latter accidentally dropped.
Ganesh Karua was a resident of Harijan bustee in Loco Colony of Parsudih and father of a five-year-old boy. His untimely death triggered hour-long protests against Tata Steel subsidiary Jusco, with a voluntary organisation seeking adequate compensation for the bereaved family.
Another contractual worker, Aakash Karua (31), who had followed Ganesh into the manhole also suffered methane poisoning, but was rescued on time. He is being treated at Tata Main Hospital (TMH), where doctors said his condition was stable.
An FIR had not been lodged against Jusco or Azgar Khan, the contractor for whom Ganesh worked, till the filing of this report.
The incident took place around 9.30am on the premises of Jusco's Ramdas Bhatta health depot in Ranikudar under Kadma thana. There are several manholes in Ranikudar, where sewer water collects in a waste tank along Kharkai Link Road before finding its way to the Jusco treatment plant.
According to Vikram Karua, another contractual worker and eyewitness, Jusco's health depot supervisor Venkat Rao is solely responsible for the tragedy.
"A gas measurement equipment accidentally fell into the manhole from the supervisor's hands. He asked Ganesh to go down and get it. Ganesh took a rope ladder and went in. He had barely climbed down 4ft when a possible blast of methane made him dizzy. He lost balance and fell down," Vikram, also a resident of Loco Colony, recalled.
Instead of calling the fire brigade to Ganesh's rescue, Rao allegedly wasted precious time in trying to salvage the situation on his own.
"The supervisor then sent Aakash. He should have called the fire brigade. Aakash went inside the manhole thrice, but came out gasping every time. The supervisor then sent another worker, Chhotu Karua, inside the manhole. He too came out breathing hard. Our colleague Ganesh died owing to sheer negligence (of Rao)," Vikram said.
Jusco spokesperson Rajesh Rajan, however, claimed that Ganesh wanted to measure the oxygen level although Rao was against it. "In fact, Rao told him to wait, but Ganesh was in a hurry and dropped the gadget into the manhole. He went to fetch it and reportedly inhaled methane," Rajan said.
A Tata Steel fire brigade team began rescue operations an hour later. There was commotion at the health depot as workers screamed for help and company officials looked confused. Jusco's senior general manager Captain Dhananjay Mishra and other officials arrived on the spot to supervise rescue, but it was too late. The crowd helplessly watched the tragedy unfold. Ganesh was declared brought dead at TMH.
Family members of Ganesh and Aakash, backed by members of All Jharkhand Mukhi Samaj, assembled outside the hospital and shouted slogans against Jusco.
"I have lost my brother. He was a sincere worker and a good father," said Ramu Karua, elder brother of Ganesh.
Mansa Karua, father of Aakash, wore a worried look outside the emergency ward. "I am praying for my son's recovery," he said.
The Mukhi Samaj demanded compensation and a job the family of the deceased. "We want the contractor to provide a job to a family member of Ganesh Karua while the company (Jusco) should facilitate compensation. We will not allow the body to be taken for post-mortem," said Baiju Mukhi, vice-president of the outfit.
Police later managed to convince the protesters to allow autopsy.
Kadma thana OC R.D. Singh said they would conduct a thorough investigation. "An FIR will be lodged against the guilty," he added.
