Two Sewerage Proj labourers die of suffocation
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, April 25 2013:
At least two workers engaged in Sewerage Project works being carried out near Minuthong area died of suffocation while going down to clean up the tunnel due to lack of oxygen.
The incident took place around 7 am today along the eastern side of Minuthong in Imphal East district.
The two deceased labourers have been identified as Elangbam Indrajit (42) s/o E Tomba and Elangbam Ranjit (45) s/o Elangbam Birachandra, both hailing from Wangjing Tentha Khunjao Mayai Leikai in Thoubal district.
The duo was survived by their wives and two daughters and a son each.
Recalling the incident, Moirangthem Surjit of Tentha Khunjao Mayai Leikai, who works with the deceased labourers, told Hueiyen Lanpao that three of them started the day's work by pumping out water from some tunnels dug for the Sewerage project along the eastern side of Minuthong near the Northern Kangla Gate.
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On finding some garbage inside the tunnel, they decided to take them out by using a ladder.
Indrajit first went down.
As he reached the middle of the tunnel which is around 15 feet deep, he loses consciousness due to lack of oxygen and the awful smell inside.
Seeing his friend falling down, Ranjit tried to go down and save Indrajit.
But he was stopped by Surjit and asked him to tie a rope, if at all, he had to go down.
However, while Surjit went to search for a rope, Ranjit went down the tunnel and met the same fate like Indrajit.
Surjit informed that he was prevented by the police from going down the tunnel again even with the rope.
Later, the fire service personnel were called in who used Oxygen masks and pulled out the bodies of Indrajit and Ranjit.
The bodies have been subsequently handed over to the family members after post-mortem examination at RIMS.