Surat: A tragic incident occurred on Sunday morning at a jewellery processing unit on Ashwini Kumar Road in Surat, where four individuals, including three sanitation workers, lost their lives while cleaning a septic tank. According to police, the deaths resulted from inhalation of poisonous gas leading to asphyxiation.
Victims Identified
The deceased have been identified as sanitation workers Vikas Sonwane, Vijay Ahire, Yogesh Jadav, and the maintenance manager of the jewellery unit, Nimesh Savaliya. The incident took place in the basement of the building housing Ratih Jewels LLP, where the septic tanks collecting effluent from the processing unit are located.
Sequence of Events
According to police, Jadav first entered one of the septic tanks to clean the sludge but failed to emerge. Sonawane and Ahire then descended into the tank in an attempt to rescue him, but they too did not return. Upon receiving no response, Savaliya alerted the fire brigade and then jumped into the tank himself in a bid to save the three workers. All four perished.
When the fire team arrived at around 10:30 am, they found a complete absence of safety equipment at the site — no masks, no safety kits, or any protective gear. Equipped with their own gear, firefighters entered the tank and retrieved the bodies one by one. The deceased were shifted to SMIMER Hospital, where all four were declared dead on arrival.
Legal Action
Late on Sunday evening, an FIR was filed against the owner of the jewellery unit and Savaliya under BNS sections 106(1), 286, and 54 for causing death by negligence and negligent conduct with respect to poisonous substances. The FIR was based on a complaint registered by Akash Sonwane, brother of deceased Vikas Sonwane.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone-1) Alok Kumar confirmed the incident and underlined the gravity of the negligence involved. “No safety protocols were followed at the time of cleaning,” he said, adding that the unit carries out large-scale jewellery processing and cleaning, and the septic tanks are cleaned once every two months.
Investigation Underway
Police have registered an FIR and launched a detailed probe. CCTV footage from the premises is being analysed to fix responsibility. Forensic postmortem of all four victims has been initiated to determine the exact nature of the toxic gas that caused their deaths. Authorities have emphasized the need for strict adherence to safety protocols in such hazardous operations.
This incident highlights the recurring dangers faced by sanitation workers in India, often due to lack of safety measures and proper equipment. The police have urged all industrial units to ensure compliance with safety standards to prevent such tragedies.
