Bengaluru, July 22: In a shocking incident, a 31-year-old daily wager died and another was hospitalised after they were allegedly forced to clean a manhole in Ashraynagar near Bengaluru’s RMC Yard on Sunday evening, July 20, in violation of the law banning manual scavenging.

According to the Times of India report, the deceased, identified as Puttaswamy, developed breathing issues after inhaling toxic gases while cleaning the manhole without safety gear. He returned home without receiving medical aid and was found dead the next morning. Another worker, Antony, is undergoing treatment. Bengaluru Shocker: Biker Suffers 12 Injuries to Skull, Dies After Tree Branch Falls on Him; Tragic Video Surfaces.

4 Booked After Man Dies While Cleaning Manhole in Bengaluru

As per the police, one of the accused, Nagaraju, hired the two men to clear the clogged manhole around 7 pm. A case has been registered against Nagaraju, Ananth Kumar, Devaraju, and Antony under the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and Their Rehabilitation Act and Section 106 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (causing death by negligence). All four have been arrested.

What Does Law Say About Manual Scavenging

Despite a nationwide ban, manual scavenging continues in many parts of Karnataka. As per the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment’s 2024 report, the state has 2,927 identified manual scavengers. Bengaluru records the highest number of related deaths in the state. In a similar case last year, two men died while cleaning a sewage treatment plant near Kanakapura. Bengaluru Shocker: BESCOM Employee Dies by Suicide After Losing INR 11 Lakh to ‘Digital Arrest’ Scam.

The law strictly prohibits employing anyone for manual scavenging, with violations punishable by up to two years in prison or a fine of INR 1 lakh, or both.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 22, 2025 02:39 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).