A sewer worker died in Vastrapur allegedly due to the negligence of his contractors. The deceased, Gautambhai Ghanshyambhai Patel, was engaged in sewer cleaning work on the evening of March 11 when he reportedly slipped and fell into the drain, leading to his death by suffocation from toxic gases.

His wife, Upaben Patel, has filed a complaint at Vastrapur police station, accusing three contractors—Pravinbhai Chauhan, Maheshbhai Chauhan, and Ashwinbhai Prajapati—of endangering her husband’s life by forcing him to work in unsafe conditions.

According to Upaben’s statement, her husband had been working as a sewer cleaner under a contract with the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) for several years. On the day of the incident, he was instructed by the contractors to carry out additional private cleaning work at Subhash Park, Bodakdev, after his regular working hours.

At approximately 6 pm, while descending into a sewer near Nayandeep Apartment, the rope he was holding allegedly slipped from his hands, causing him to fall into the toxic drainage system. Fellow workers, identified as Ravibhai, Rameshbhai, and Vinodbhai, reportedly witnessed the accident but were unable to rescue him in time.

When Upaben attempted to contact her husband later that evening, he did not respond. At midnight, two of his colleagues arrived at her residence, informing her of the fatal accident. She was later taken to a hospital, where her husband was declared dead.

Allegations of negligence

The complaint alleges that the contractors routinely forced workers to perform additional private cleaning tasks after their scheduled hours, without adequate safety measures. Upaben claims that on the day of the incident, her husband was not provided with proper safety equipment, leading to his fatal fall and exposure to toxic gases inside the sewer.

Despite the severity of the incident, Upaben asserts that the contractors attempted to persuade her not to file a police complaint, allegedly assuring her that they would "settle the matter later".

Police probe

On March 13 evening a complaint was lodged with the Vastrapur police. Authorities are examining the role of the contractors and assessing whether safety regulations were violated. Statements from witnesses, including other cleaning workers, are being recorded.

Also read:

Construction worker dies in Ahmedabad building collapse, case against contractor