Vegetable Vendor Dies After Sludge Dumped on Him by Municipal Workers in Bareilly

In a deeply tragic and shocking incident, a vegetable vendor lost his life in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, after being buried alive under a pile of sludge that was carelessly dumped by municipal workers while he was asleep beneath a tree.

The event occurred on Thursday and has since sparked outrage and grief among the residents, as well as the victim’s family.

According to police officials, a case has been registered against Nayim Shastri, a contractor working for the Bareilly Municipal Corporation, under charges of causing death by negligence.

The police have initiated a full investigation into the matter and are working to identify the employees directly involved in the fatal act.

Sunil Kumar, the deceased, was reportedly sleeping under the shade of a tree near a graveyard when the incident took place.

The area was not marked as a designated site for dumping waste or sludge, which further raises questions about the recklessness of the municipal workers involved.

Dhananjay Pandey, the Station House Officer (SHO) of Baradari Police Station, stated that the municipal workers had been conducting a citywide drain-cleaning operation.

As part of this effort, sludge removed from the drains was being transported and dumped in designated areas outside the city limits using tractors and trolleys.

However, on that fateful day, one of these trolleys reportedly dumped an entire load of sludge directly onto Sunil Kumar without the workers even realizing that someone was resting underneath.

“The municipal corporation employees dumped a trolley full of sludge on Sunil Kumar without even noticing him,” said SHO Pandey.

He further explained that several such trolleys had been moving in and out of the area throughout the day, complicating the task of identifying the specific vehicle responsible for the incident.

Police are currently attempting to determine which driver and helper were present during the exact moment the sludge was dumped on Kumar.

“There were so many tractors and trolleys dumping sludge in that area; we have not yet confirmed which one was involved. Once identified, strict action will be taken against those responsible,” SHO Pandey assured.

In a formal police complaint, Girwar Singh Prajapati, the grieving father of the deceased, recounted the sequence of events. He stated that his son had chosen to rest in the shaded area under the tree near the graveyard, likely to escape the midday heat.

When he failed to return, family members began searching for him and were later informed that municipal workers had dumped sludge in that location.

“After some time, my son’s family members began searching for him. We later discovered that an employee of the municipal corporation, along with the contractor Nayim Shastri, had dumped the sludge on him using a trolley attached to a tractor,” Prajapati wrote in his complaint.

He also emphasized that the location where his son was sleeping was never designated as a dump site, and therefore, there was no justification for the sludge to be discarded there.

“My son was buried under that toxic sludge even though the site was not authorized for dumping waste,” Prajapati added, highlighting the gross negligence and disregard for human life demonstrated by the workers involved.

After being discovered, Kumar was rushed to Hazrat Hospital, where medical professionals sadly pronounced him dead upon arrival. The family remains devastated, blaming the municipal corporation and its officials for the fatal lapse.

“My son lost his life because of the carelessness and indifference of the municipal corporation,” his father said, holding the civic body accountable for the tragic loss.

This heartbreaking incident sheds light on the negligence and lack of accountability that sometimes plague public services and waste management in urban areas.

The case has triggered public concern over safety protocols, the responsibilities of municipal contractors, and the urgent need for more humane and responsible operations by civic bodies.

The police have promised a thorough investigation, and residents of Bareilly are demanding justice for Sunil Kumar, who lost his life due to what many describe as an avoidable and inexcusable tragedy.