Two sanitation workers died reportedly due to suffocation while cleaning a septic tank in Delhi on Friday. The incident occurred in Old Jasola village when the two men were cleaning the septic tank with the help of a machine on Friday afternoon. The workers fell unconscious allegedly after inhaling poisonous gas from the tank, the officials said. 

According to the police, a PCR call was received at the Sarita Vihar police station on Friday afternoon informing that two men fell in a 'gutter' (sewerage) at Old Jasola Village following which a police team was rushed to the spot. Police found that two people were hired to clean a septic tank by a man, named Iqbal Singh, a resident of Old Jasola village. The sanitation workers went inside the tank to fix the valve and eventually fell unconscious and suffocated to death, police said. 

Deputy Commissioner of Police (South-East) Rajesh Deo stated that the workers entered the septic tank to rectify a glitch and they fell unconscious. Following the incident, a fire tender team was called to the spot which pulled the two persons and they were rushed to the hospital, where they were pronounced dead on arrival.

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"One of the deceased has been identified as Rajprakash Singh (60), a resident of Molarband Extension. The identity of the second person is being verified," the DCP said.

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The Manual Scavenging Act forbids the assignment of individuals to clean septic tanks without proper safety equipment. Additionally, it mandates the rehabilitation of the relatives of any victim, offering government employment to one family member and adequate compensation.

An FIR has been lodged by the Delhi Police against Iqbal, who was evading authorities at the time of this news report's publication.

(With Agency Inputs)