Seven people died late on Friday night while cleaning a sewer line and a septic tank in a hotel near Vadodara. The deceased comprised sanitary workers and hotel employees.

The police have lodged a case of culpable homicide against Darshan Hotel owner Hassan Abbas Bhoraniya. He was arrested on Saturday morning and charged under the offence of causing death due to negligence.

In the FIR, the deceased were identified as Mahesh Patanwadiya (47), Ashok Harijan (45), Brijesh Harijan (25), Mahesh Harijan (25), Vijay Chaudhary (22), Sahdev Vasava (22) and Ajay Vasava (22).

Vadodara’s officiating District Collector Kiran Zaveri said, “They died of asphyxiation inside the tank as revealed in their post mortem conducted at Vadodara hospital.”

Gujarat Chief Minster Vijay Rupani has expressed sorrow over the incident of deaths and announced an assistance of Rs 4 lakh each to the dependants of the deceased.