2 eatery managers held for sewage plant deaths

NEW DELHI: Two senior managers of a west Delhi restaurant were arrested a day after two employees, Ajay (19) and Rakesh Kumar, lost their lives while cleaning the eatery’s sewage treatment plant located in the basement.
DCP (west) Monika Bhardwaj said that Aftab, the unit manager of the restaurant Pirates of Grill, and the area manager, Pankaj, were arrested following the inspection of the scene of crime and the sequence of events narrated by other employees and eyewitnesses.It was found that the two men were responsible for the safety and general administration of the restaurant.
Investigating officers said that they have contacted the pollution control board and civic agencies to ascertain if any violations were reported by them or any mishaps were observed at the sewage plant.
The blueprints of the plant are also being checked. Other senior officials of the restaurant chain have been asked to join the probe. The condition of the two injured men — Pankaj and Raju — is still critical and they have been shifted to the ICU of BLK Super Speciality Hospital.
The family members of the deceased initially refused to accept the bodies demanding compensation from the restaurant owners citing acute financial distress.
Harbhajan, Ajay’s uncle, said that his nephew had come to Delhi six months ago to earn and save money for his sister’s marriage scheduled this winter. He was earning Rs 8,000 for a 12-hour shift.
“He used to live with me in Rajouri Garden. He was the sole breadwinner of his family as his father had lost his fingers in an accident a few years ago. He was sending his entire salary to his parents in Raipur. His two brothers are in school,” said Harbhajan, a rickshawpuller, while waiting outside Rajouri Garden police station.
Rakesh Kumar’s eldest son, Praveen, also refused to accept the body till his family was given compensation. “My mother still doesn’t know about his death. My two younger brothers are appearing in board examinations. My father was the only earning member of the family. A few months ago, he and a few other employees had suffered burn injuries at the restaurant, but no one had helped them,” he said.
The restaurant remained sealed on Sunday. An employee, who was an eyewitness, recalled that the waiters rushed down from the second floor after hearing cries that the four men had fallen into the sewage plant.
“I was on the second floor when someone shouted that the men cleaning the plant had fallen inside. We rescued Raju who was pushed out by the three men from inside. The stench of the gas was so strong that nobody could enter the basement,” the employee added.