Chhawla tank victims entered confined space without protective gear: cops

New Delhi: Delhi Police, probing the death of a man at an under-construction septic/water tank in southwest Delhi’s Chhawla on Oct 21, have found that he and three others, who fell sick after inhaling toxic fumes, had entered the tank without wearing protective safety gear.A preliminary inquiry revealed that the incident occurred inside an under-construction water/septic tank on a residential plot. Police said the tank did not contain sewage or water at the time. The four men had allegedly entered the confined space to remove shuttering and inspect construction work when they inhaled toxic gases.According to investigators, a contractor, identified as Madan Pandit (38), entered the tank after labourer Vinod (22) climbed inside and stopped responding. Pandit went down to check on him. When neither of the two emerged, the plot owner’s sons, Chander Shekhar (35) and Surender Singh (42), allegedly entered the tank in an attempt to rescue them but fell sick after inhaling toxic fumes. Pandit was taken to a hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival. The three others are undergoing treatment, said police.Police said a mobile crime team inspected the spot and photographed the scene. Pandit’s body was shifted to the mortuary at RTRM Hospital for post-mortem and other legal formalities.A case of negligence has been registered, and police are investigating whether the construction work had the necessary permissions and whether any safety lapses contributed to the incident. No arrests have been made so far.The incident is the latest in a series of deaths linked to toxic gases in confined spaces in Delhi. In June this year, three men died after inhaling toxic fumes inside a septic tank at a factory in Mundka Industrial Area. In May 2025, a man died after entering a septic tank at a house in New Ashok Nagar, while another person was injured during a rescue attempt. In July 2025, two labourers died after inhaling toxic gases at a sewage treatment plant.You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Delhi | Silver Rate in Delhi | Bank Holidays in Delhi | Public Holidays in Delhi | Delhi AQI | Weather in Delhi | Petrol Price in Delhi | Diesel Price in Delhi | CNG Price in Delhi | LPG Price in DelhiStay updated with the latest Delhi news. Download the TOI App.