Date:03/12/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/12/03/stories/2007120359390500.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

3 Natco Pharma workers die of suffocation

Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD: Three persons died of suffocation in a sump reportedly filled with water and chemicals at Natco Pharma Limited in Sanathnagar early on Sunday.

The police said two labourers Suryanarayana (45) and Apparao (40) along with the company electrician Nageswar Rao (35) completed cleaning of one sump around 10.30 p.m. on Saturday. A few hours later, Suryanarayana and Apparao entered the second sump and failed to respond to Nageswar’s call for quite sometime. Sensing trouble, Nageswar too entered the sump and fell unconscious.

Worried over this, company supervisor Dharma Reddy entered the sump, but came out of it complaining of nausea and giddiness. He immediately alerted the security guards who in turn informed the police. The police retrieved the trio from the sump and shifted them to the Gandhi hospital where doctors declared them dead.

Sanathnagar Sub-Inspector N. Amarvardan Reddy said a case of negligence was registered against Dharma Reddy and the in-charge Krishna Murthy for executing work without following necessary safety measures.

The management agreed to pay Rs.15 lakh each to victim’s families and Rs.20,000 for their funeral expenses.