Worker, 28, dies after getting trapped in trommel machine at Wathoda waste plant in Nagpur

A lack of safety at the workplace has once again proved fatal in Nagpur. A 28-year-old worker died on Tuesday morning while cleaning a machine at a waste segregation project on Bidgaon Road in the Wathoda area. He had slipped and got trapped in the machine.

The deceased has been identified as Salman Ayub Khan, a resident of Antujinagar, Bhandewadi. At around 7.30 am on Tuesday, Salman was cleaning waste while standing on the trommel machine with fellow worker Akshay Belkar. His foot suddenly slipped and he got trapped inside the machine.

Salman was severely injured in the accident. Panic broke out at the project afterwards. Company employees immediately informed his family and took him to a private hospital in the Pardi area for treatment. After examining him, doctors declared him dead.

Wathoda police reached the spot on learning of the incident. After drawing up a panchnama, the body was sent to the medical hospital for post-mortem. On a complaint from Salman's father, Ayub Khan, police have registered a case of accidental death.

On learning of Salman's death, anger spread among his family and the workers at the project, and the area remained tense for some time. Given the situation, company officials spoke to the family. According to information received, the family has been assured of appropriate compensation.

The municipal corporation has awarded the waste segregation work to a company named SUSBDE. Following the accident, the question being raised is whether the necessary arrangements are made for workers' safety at this project.

It is now necessary to establish whether the machine was completely switched off while it was being cleaned, whether workers had been given the required safety equipment, and whether safety rules were being followed. Wathoda police are investigating what caused the accident and whether anyone's negligence was behind it.