New Delhi, Jun 28 (PTI) One labourer died and two others went missing after they were washed away while cleaning a 30-feet deep drain in west Delhi's Khayala area, police said Friday.
The labourers were swept away and one of them drowned when the Delhi Jal Board (DJB), which had stopped the water flow for cleaning, suddenly started the supply, officials said.
The police said the DJB had given the contract for construction of a cemented wall over the drain to Pratibha Industries.
The deceased has been identified as Shahrukh (25), a resident of Bulandshahr in Uttar Pradesh. The other two, who are missing are Ankit (19), a resident of Hardoi in UP and Devinder Sharma (25), a resident of Etha in UP, they said.
The fire department received information about the incident at 12.35 pm and rushed three fire tenders to the spot. The police were informed at around 1 pm.
"The fire officials successfully pulled out Shahrukh while the other two workers could not be traced till now," said Monika Bhardwaj, Deputy Commissioner of Police (West).
Shahrukh was rushed to the Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital where he was declared brought dead, she said.
Initial investigations revealed that Pratibha Industries were given the contract by DJB to construct a cement wall over the drain, which was used for the treatment of water before being sent to the Yamuna river, police said.
They said Shahrukh, Ankit and Sharma, along with nine other workers, were on miscellaneous jobs of drilling and wiring.
The DJB termed it an unfortunate incident and said the work at the site was related to an 'interceptor sewer project'.
We had had given the project to the Engineers India Ltd (EIL), which sublet it to Pratibha Industries, the DJB said.
"The EIL is responsible for execution and day-to-day monitoring of the work. The DJB only monitors the progress at monthly meetings," an official of the DJB said.
