BENGALURU: Bandepalya police are in a fix over how to take the case of the tragic death of three men, who died of asphyxiation while cleaning a Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) tank at an apartment on Sunday, forward. Reason: There is no active residents’ association at ND Sepal Apartment in Somasundarapalya, where the incident took place. And police now don’t know whom to book.Police said that only a group of residents were looking after the maintenance of the apartment.
A senior police officer, on the condition of anonymity, said that the investigation has revealed that the deceased Narayanaswamy had not informed any resident about the cleaning of the STP tank.
“The apartment was built around 10 years ago, and earlier there was a registered residents’ welfare association. But over the years, most of the owners rented out their flats and the association became defunct. The tenants living there are not much concerned over the maintenance of the building. Thus, it has been quite a difficult task to hold a person responsible for the tragedy. We are in discussion with senior officers in this regard,” the official added.
Narayanaswamy, also the prime accused in the case, had allegedly taken up the work without the knowledge of the apartment residents. “He was looking after the maintenance of the apartment. An electrician by profession, he was in-charge of electrical works of the apartment for the past six years. He was also maintaining the Sewage Treatment Plant for the past two years.
Preliminary probe has revealed that a resident of a neighbouring building had complained to him of the stench from the STP. He roped in services of Madegowda and Srinivas of Somasundarapalya to clean the tank,” said the official.“There was no necessity to get down into the tank to clean it. As there was an electrical problem in the STP motor, they got down one after the other and met with a tragic end,” the official added.
Developments so far
December 18, 2017: Whitefield resident Kumar Ajitabh receives
a call from an unknown person claiming to be a prospective buyer for his car. Ajitabh
leaves home around 6.30 pm
to meet the buyer, and has
been missing since then.
December 20, 2017: Ajitabh’s friend and flatmate Ravi Kumar lodges a complaint with Whitefield Police Station.
December 22, 2017:
OLX shares initial information with city police.
December 26, 2017: City police seek additional inputs
December 29, 2017: Ajitabh’s father Sinha Sinha lodges another complaint
January 3, 2018: OLX shares more information after city police warn of action.
January 8, 2018:
Police submit report to court