Overview
- Police said one worker collapsed inside the under-construction tank in Cherla mandal, and colleagues who rushed in also went down in the confined space.
- Sub-Inspector Narsi Reddy reported three fatalities and said the surviving worker was shifted to the Government Area Hospital in Bhadrachalam and is out of danger.
- Families of the deceased staged a protest at the Cherla mandal headquarters, pressing for Rs 30 lakh compensation and a government job for each family.
- Two of the victims were identified earlier as Neelam Tulasi Ram of Lingapadu and Kaka Mahesh of Unjupally, with a formal cause to be confirmed by autopsy.
- Officers cited a likely buildup of noxious gases in the rainwater-filled chamber and said an inquiry into safety lapses at the Mission Bhagiratha worksite is underway.