Press release

National Human Rights Commission

New Delhi: 5th March 2026

NHRC, India takes suo motu cognizance of the reported death of two municipal sanitation workers in a sewer chamber in Indore, Madhya Pradesh

Issues notices to the Indore Municipal Corporation and Police Commissioner, calling for a detailed report on the matter within two weeks

The report expected to include the status of the investigation as well as compensation, if any, paid to the NoK of the victims

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), India has taken suo motu cognizance of a media report that on 2nd March 2026, two sanitation workers died in a sewer chamber in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. They were workers of the Indore Municipal Corporation.

The Commission has observed that the contents of the news report, if true, raise a serious issue of violation of the human rights of the victims. Therefore, it has issued notices to the Indore Municipal Corporation and Police Commissioner, calling for a detailed report on the matter within two weeks. The report is expected to include the status of the investigation as well as compensation, if any, paid to the NoK of the victims.

According to the media report, carried on 3rd March 2026, the victims entered into the sewer chamber to retrieve a portion of a suction tanker pipe that had fallen into it during de-watering process when they fell down unconscious due to toxic gases. They were pulled out and taken to a hospital, where they were declared dead.

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