Labourer Dies During Manhole Cleaning in Bengaluru’s RMC Yard

Quick Summary

• A 31-year-old laborer named Puttaswamy died due to suffocation while cleaning a clogged manhole in Akshay Nagar, Bengaluru, on Sunday, July 21, 2025.
• Another laborer, Antony, who was also involved in teh task, inhaled toxic gases and collapsed but is currently recovering in the hospital.
• The two were hired by a house owner to clean the manhole without being provided safety gear. They reportedly collapsed due to exposure to toxic gases and exhaustion.
• RMC Yard police have filed a case under the Manual Scavenging Act, 2013, against three individuals responsible for hiring the workers without necessary precautions or protective equipment.

Indian Opinion Analysis
the incident highlights persistent violations of India’s prohibition on manual scavenging under the Manual Scavenging Act of 2013. Despite legal safeguards outlawing such unsafe practices and ensuring worker safety measures are mandatory for hazardous tasks like sewage cleaning, this tragedy underscores implementation failures at both systemic and enforcement levels.

The lack of safety equipment not only exposes preventable risks for precarious laborers but also calls into question accountability mechanisms aimed at protecting vulnerable sections from exploitative employment conditions. With manual scavenging incidents still surfacing despite legislative bans enacted over a decade ago-and regular awareness campaigns-the need for stricter adherence to laws and better oversight grows urgent to prevent further avoidable loss of lives.

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