A family of seven in Ludhiana is mourning the loss of its only breadwinners after a man and his son died from toxic gas exposure while cleaning an industrial waste tank. The tragedy occurred just days after the family celebrated the first birthday of the toddler daughter of one of the victims.
Victims and Family Background
Maan Singh, 56, and his son Amit, 26, were hired as day laborers to clean an effluent vat at a hand tools manufacturing facility in Ludhiana's industrial zone. Relatives said the pair were not informed about the lethal gas risks and were not provided with protective gear. The family, originally from Fatehabad in Haryana, has lived in Ludhiana for over 20 years. The men typically collected construction debris for resale but occasionally took manual tank-cleaning jobs at local factories to supplement their income.
Family's Plight
The tragedy has wiped out the sole financial support for a multi-generational household that includes elderly grandparents, a widow, and a toddler. Renu, 18, Maan Singh's daughter, said: "Only my father and brother were earning hands in the house. Who will take care of the family now?" Ironically, the family had just celebrated the first birthday of Amit's daughter two days before the incident.
Corporate Silence and Legal Action
Renu said her father and brother left for the Deep Tools factory at 9:30 pm on Sunday, promising to return by 3 am on Monday. When their phones went unanswered, she walked to the facility but security barred her at the gates. "They told me my father and brother had collapsed and they had taken them to the hospital," Renu said. "As I reached the hospital, I was told they had died." The family condemned the factory management for failing to notify them of the workplace accident, which occurred around 2 am. Police have lodged a criminal case for culpable homicide against the factory ownership, though no arrests have been made.
