Tribune News Service

Amritsar, May 21

The police have booked a dairy owner and his brother on the charge of culpable homicide after they forced his worker to enter a chocked gutter to clean it.

The victim, identified as Shashi Kumar, a resident of Kirpal Colony, Tung Bala, on Majitha Road, died after he inhaled poisonous gas in the gutter. The incident occurred on May 14.

Those booked were identified as Harpal Singh, alias Bhalla, and Dilbagh Singh, alias Bagga, of Ram Nagar Colony on Majitha Road. A case under Sections 304 and 34 of the IPC and Section 3(1)(J) of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act has been registered against the accused. The police said raids were on to nab the culprits.

In his complaint to the police, Kulwant Singh, alias Baba, told the police that Shashi Kumar had been working at the dairy for last eight years. Kulwant said on May 14, Shashi had called him to his place as the sewer of Harpal Singh’s dairy was chocked and required de-silting. He said he had also entered the gutter but came out of it without cleaning it. Then the accused took Shashi for cleaning the gutter on the main road (Majitha Road). He said as the gutter was deep, he refused to clean it.

He said later the accused forced him to clean the gutter, but he refused again. However, the duo allegedly forced him due to which he fell into the gutter. Owing to poisonous gases, Shashi got unconscious. On seeing this, they fled from the spot.

Shashi was admitted to hospital where doctors declared him dead. It was alleged that the accused on the pretext of helping the victim’s family tried to influence them for not filing any police complaint. On this assurance, they cremated the body, but now they refused to compensate the family.

They alleged as the victim belonged to the SC community, therefore he was forced to clean the gutter. He died due to negligence of the two accused, so a case had been registered against them.

ASI Kulwant Singh, investigating officer in the case, said further investigation was under progress while raids were on to trace the two suspects.