NHRC notice to Rajasthan govt, Ajmer police chief over labourer death after buried alive in sewer pit

The commission has observed that the content, if true, raises a serious violation of human rights of the victim

The NHRC on July 26 (Saturday) said it has issued a notice to the Rajasthan government and the Ajmer police commissioner over reports of a labourer getting buried when the soil caved in while digging a sewer pit on the campus of a power house.

A few labourers, including the victim, were digging a 30-feet-deep well when the alleged incident happened, the National Human Rights Commission said.

In a statement, the rights panel said it has "taken suo motu cognisance of a media report that a 50-year-old labourer was buried under the soil while digging a sewer pit on the campus of a power house" in Ajmer district on July 14.

The commission has observed that the content, if true, raises a serious violation of human rights of the victim.

Therefore, it has issued notices to the chief secretary of the government of Rajasthan and the commissioner of police of Ajmer, seeking a detailed report in two weeks. The report is expected to include compensation, if any, provided to the next of kin of the deceased, it said.

According to the media report, carried on July 15, the victim was about 18 feet down when the soil suddenly caved in, completely burying him under it. The other labourers managed to escape.

The police, along with civil defence personnel, reached the spot and took the victim out after an effort of about 6-7 hours. The body of the deceased was sent for post-mortem, the statement said.

With inputs from PTI