KARUR: Days after three construction workers died of asphyxiation at an under-construction house here, the body of another person was recovered from the septic tank on the premises, on Thursday. Mohanraj (23) and Rajesh (37), who were constructing Gunasekaran’s house at Gandhi Nagar in Sukkaliyur, suffocated to death on Tuesday after descending into a septic tank to remove wooden planks supporting the structure. Another worker, Sivakumar (35), who rushed to their rescue also died in the tank by inhaling the toxic gas inside. The tank was not opened for several months, sources said.
After a risky operation, fire and rescue services personnel recovered the three bodies from the tank. After a post-mortem at the Government Medical College Hospital, the bodies were handed over to their families on November 16. Meanwhile, Saravanan, brother to Gopal (38), who went to work with Sivakumar, lodged a complaint with the Karur police saying his brother was missing for the past two days.
On suspicion, the police along with a team of corporation, revenue, and fire and rescue services officials inspected the septic tank from which the bodies of the three workers were recovered. Gopal’s body was spotted in a corner of the structure. The team recovered the body and sent it for post-mortem.
“The septic tank is big and the locals nearby initially said only three turned up for work at the site. Hence, we were under the impression that only three workers died in the mishap. But on Thursday, the police complaint raised our suspicion following which we thoroughly inspected the tank,” a revenue official said.
Victim’s brother had said he was missing
Saravanan, Gopal’s brother, lodged a complaint with the Karur police saying Gopal was missing for two days. The police and other officials inspected the tank from which the three bodies were recovered, and found Gopal’s body lying in a corner