Daijiworld Media Network – Jaipur

Jaipur, May 27: In a tragic incident on Monday, four workers suffocated and died after being sent into a Jaipur jewellery shop’s septic tank without any safety equipment to remove sludge containing gold and silver particles, police officials confirmed.

The workers, initially reluctant due to the scorching heat, were reportedly persuaded to undertake the hazardous task after being offered extra money by the shop’s CEO Vikas Mehta and director Arun Kothari. The jewellery shop uses a chemical washing process that leads to precious metal particles settling in the septic tank sludge, which they recover by employing sanitation workers.

Eight workers, hired through a contracting agency, entered the tank but soon fainted due to lack of safety gear. Four—Rohit Pal, Sanjeev Pal, Himangshu Singh, and Arpit Yadav—from Uttar Pradesh’s Sultanpur and Ambedkar Nagar districts, lost their lives. Two others are undergoing treatment in hospital, while two have been discharged.

Local police officer Anil Jaiman stated that forensic teams are investigating the incident, focusing on why workers were forced into the tank during a heatwave without protective measures and questioning the legality of storing gold particles in the septic tank. “Action will be taken against the jewellery factory owners and contractors responsible,” he said.

The tragedy has reignited concerns over worker safety in sanitation jobs. Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot criticized the government’s inaction, citing at least ten sanitation worker deaths in recent months while cleaning septic tanks across Bikaner, Deeg, and Jaipur. Gehlot urged immediate government intervention, questioning the delay in implementing announced safety measures and procurement of cleaning machines.