Tamil Nadu man tried to clean manhole on his birthday, died due to asphyxiation

india

Updated: Sep 08, 2019 22:17 IST

A 24-year-old youth who tried to clean a manhole on his birthday at Tamil Nadu’s Tiruvallur, died due to asphyxiation, police said on Sunday.

According to police sources, the deceased was M Sambathkumar, a resident of Perathur village in Tiruvallur district.

“Sambathkumar turned 24 on Sunday and he wanted to get blessings from a Guruji named Santhanam. Therefore, Sambathkumar and his friend Narendran went to the guruji’s ashram in Thiruninravur about 40 kilometres to the west of Chennai city. After giving his blessings, the guruji requested the duo to clean a sewer hole at his house which is also located near the Ashram. When the two men tried to clean the sludge hole, toxic gases hit them,” said Thiruninravur police sources.

Sambathkumar was the first to enter the sewer hole. As he collapsed due to asphyxiation, his fried Narendran also got into the hole, a police officer said.

Sambathkumar used to work in a private firm at Velacherry in Chennai.

“A medical team that visited the spot has confirmed that Sambathkumar died due to asphyxiation. Narendran was rushed to the Rajiv Gandhi Government Hospital in Chennai,” police sources added.

Narendran is currently undergoing treatment. Sambathkumar’s body was sent to the Rajiv Gandhi Government Hospital for autopsy. Thiruninravur police have detained Santhanam Guruji who deployed the youths to clean the utility hole. Thiruninravur police have also registered an FIR over the unnatural death.