Two managers held for waste treatment plant deaths in Delhi’s Rajouri
Deputy commissioner of police (west) Monika Bhardwaj said that they have arrested the restaurant’s, Pirates Of Grill, area manager Pankaj and unit manager Aftab, both who were identified by their first names, in connection with the case
A day after two members of the housekeeping staff of a west Delhi restaurant died while cleaning the joint’s kitchen waste treatment plant, the police on Sunday said that they have arrested two senior employees of the restaurant while its owners are being questioned.
Deputy commissioner of police (west) Monika Bhardwaj said that they have arrested the restaurant’s, Pirates Of Grill, area manager Pankaj and unit manager Aftab, both who were identified by their first names, in connection with the case that was registered under section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of Indian Penal Code and SC/ST Act.
“Pankaj and Aftab were arrested after our probe found them directly responsible for the deaths of the two housekeeping staff. The arrested duo were the reporting managers as well as the supervisory officers of the staffers. They were also responsible for the safety and security of the staffers. None of the four workers were provided any safety equipment while being sent to the plant in the basement of the restaurant,” said DCP Bhardwaj.
Police said that the two owners of the restaurant joined the probe on Sunday. Asked if the owners will also be arrested in the case, DCP Bhardwaj said, “ We will certainly probe the role of the owners as well. Further action will be taken, once we fix the responsibility of everyone involved.”
Rakesh Yadav,46, and Ajay Kanojia,19, died while their colleagues Raju, 33, and Pankaj, 19, fell unconscious after they inhaled toxic fumes, while cleaning the restaurant’s waste treatment plant on Saturday . The conditions of the injured men are critical, said police.
Police said that they are approaching the civic agencies and pollution control board officials to ascertain if they had found any violations in the restaurant’s waste treatment plant during their visits.
On Sunday afternoon, around 50 people, including family members and relatives of the four workers, protested outside the Rajouri Garden police station and demanded compensation for the victims of the mishap. The family members also demanded action against the restaurant owners and all those who were responsible for the deaths of their loved ones.
“Someone related to the owners of the restaurant offered ?5 lakh each as compensation to the family members of Yadav and Kanojia. Both families lost their only earning members. We did not accept the money,” said Anil, a relative of Kanojia.