Two workers from Odisha die of asphyxiation at Uppal in Hyderabad

Hyderabad: Two labourers Vijay (25) and Santosh (28) died when they entered a pipeline to carry out centring works near Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium at Uppal on Wednesday morning.

The contractor, Sreenivas Reddy of L&T, had hired four labourers to remove the centring material which was placed in the manholes for fixing it. Mahesh and Munni were also there along with Vijay and Santosh when they entered the three-metre deep chamber to remove the material. 

According to passers-by, there were calls for help after they entered the pipeline and two of them were pulled out while the other two had already died. It was only minutes since they entered and they felt highly suffocated inside and screamed for help.

While Mahesh and Munni were pulled out by passers-by the other two Vijay and Santosh, were unconscious in the pipeline. The cause of death is suspected to be asphyxiation. The workers are from Odisha. 

According to highly placed sources in HMWS&SB, the centring work was completed one-and-a-half months ago and the contractor should have ensured that the lid of the newly-laid pipeline was not opened without the prior notice to the Water Board. 

Sources alleged that the labourers came to steal the centring material and lost their lives.