Two officials suspended after death of pourakarmika forced to clean manhole in Mandya

The Karnataka government on Friday suspended two officials in connection with the suicide of a pourakarmika or sanitation worker in Mandya district. Narayana, 34, a pourakarmika in Maddur town municipality had accused two officials - Murugesh, a Chief Officer, and Jasim Khan, a Health Inspector - of forcing him to clean a manhole without safety equipment and harassing him to accept responsibility for it.

The Directorate of Municipal Administration (under the Karnataka Urban Development Department) issued orders suspending Murugesh and Jasim Khan effective immediately. In addition to the suspension, Murugesh was transferred to Hunasuru in Mysuru and Jasim Khan was transferred to Somwarpet in Kodagu.

The decision by the Directorate comes three days after Narayana took his life in Maddur on Tuesday. In his suicide note, Narayana said that municipality officials harassed him to admit that he entered the manhole voluntarily and was given safety equipment to clean it. Narayana was also not paid his full salary and was only paid Rs 6,000 after this issue came to light.

MB Naganna Gowda, the President of the Karnataka Urban Local Bodies' Outsource Employees Union (KULBOEU), had earlier told TNM that Narayana was asked to clean a manhole on November 3. But when photographs of Narayana cleaning the manhole surfaced, the municipality officials asked him to say that he entered the manhole voluntarily and was given safety equipment while cleaning it. Photographs and videos reportedly from the incident show that Narayana did not have safety equipment while cleaning the manhole.

Narayana's wife Aruna died five years ago due to an illness. He lived with his three children along with Aruna's mother Madevi. His eldest daughter studies in class 7, another daughter in class 5 and a son in class 2. Speaking to TNM, Madevi said that Narayana had complained against the municipality officials who were harassing him. Narayana has worked as a pourakarmika in Maddur for the last ten years.

Protest in Mandya and Bengaluru

Following Narayana's death on Tuesday, a protest was held in Mandya by his colleagues demanding the authorities to take action against the two officials accused of harassing Narayana. On Friday, a protest was held in Bengaluru at the Vishweshwaraya Towers at the office of the Directorate of Municipal Administration by Dalit, women and student groups.

Tuesday’s tragedy came a week after the Karnataka High Court directed the state government to ask various authorities to stop allowing anyone to clean sewers or manholes manually except in few conditions. The High Court asked the government to strictly implement Rule 3, of The Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act.