Techie faints while checking leak in tank; 2 techies rush to help; all 3 die

News Network

July 12, 2018

Bengaluru, Jul 12: In a heartrending incident, three young technical engineers lost their lives due to asphyxiation when they were checking a leak in a water tank at a chemical factory in Harohalli industrial area on Kanakapura Road.

The police gave the names of the victims as Lokesh Krishnappa (31), a native of Kolar; Mahesh Shivamallegowda (28), a resident of Gottahalli in Harohalli; and Saravana Manohar (24), who hailed from Tamil Nadu. Their colleague Arivalagan was admitted to a hospital where his condition is said to be critical.

The tragedy took place at the Unit-2 of Anthem BioSciences Private Limited, a manufacturer of medical products located near Bannikuppe village in Kanakapura taluk in Ramnagaram district around 10.30 pm on Tuesday.

The large stainless steel water tank was circular in shape and had a diameter of 3 metres, police said.

Lokesh, who works as an engineer, entered the tank using a ladder to check for the leak and collapsed inside the tank. On seeing him unconscious, Mahesh and Saravana entered the tank and passed out. Arivalagan also fainted while half-way into the tank, but was rescued by workers who rushed him to the hospital.

Following information from a company staffer, police got to the spot and began inquiries. They suspect the deaths had happened due to asphyxiation as there was no oxygen inside the tank.

Workers entered the tank wearing masks and retrieved the bodies, the police said. The bodies were shifted to the Victoria Hospital for post-mortem on Wednesday.

The victims who fell unconscious had bitten their tongue. In all, 20 workers were on the nightshift.

News of the deaths triggered panic among workers, including a few relatives of the victims who blamed the deaths on toxic fumes from a chemical reactor. But the management rubbished the allegations, insisting that lack of oxygen in the tank had caused the deaths.

The Harohalli police accused the management of the company for failing to follow safety procedures to protect their employees. They registered an FIR against unknown persons of the company management under IPC section 304-A – accidental death caused by negligence. Further investigations are underway.

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Work permit system for confined space entry and employees adherence to the system could have prevented this accident.

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QR-code tips power Mangaluru's major drug bust: 25 arrested in 2 weeks

News Network

December 16,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 16: The Mangaluru City police have significantly escalated their campaign against drug trafficking, arresting 25 individuals and booking 12 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act between November 30 and December 13. The crackdown resulted in the seizure of a substantial quantity of illicit substances, including 685.6 grams of MDMA and 1.5 kg of ganja.

The success of this recent drive has been significantly boosted by the city’s innovative, QR code-based anonymous reporting system.

"The anonymous reporting system has received an encouraging response. Several recent arrests were made based on inputs received through this system, helping police tighten the noose around drug peddlers," said the City Police Commissioner.

The latest arrests contribute to a robust year-to-date record, underscoring the police's relentless commitment to combating the drug menace.

Up to December 14 this year, the police have registered a total of 107 cases of drug peddling, leading to the arrest of 219 peddlers. Furthermore, they have booked 562 cases of drug consumption, resulting in the arrest of 671 individuals.

The scale of the seizure for the year reflects the magnitude of the problem being tackled: police have seized 320.6 kg of ganja worth ₹88.7 lakh and 1.4 kg of MDMA valued at ₹1.2 crore. Other significant seizures include hydro-weed ganja worth ₹94.7 lakh and cocaine worth ₹1.9 lakh, among others.

The Commissioner emphasized a policy of rigorous enforcement: "We ensure that peddlers are caught red-handed so that they cannot later dispute the case or claim innocence."

To counter the rising trend of substance abuse among youth, the Mangaluru City police have rolled out uniform guidelines for random drug testing across educational institutions.

As part of the drive, tests were conducted in approximately 100 institutions, screening an estimated 5,500 to 6,000 students in the first phase. 20 students tested positive for drug consumption during the initial screening.

Students who tested positive have been provided counselling and are scheduled for re-testing in the second quarter. The testing will also be expanded to students not covered in the first phase. In a move to ensure strict implementation, police personnel were deployed in mufti in some institutions. Reiterating a zero-tolerance stance, the Commissioner confirmed that random testing will continue, and colleges have also been instructed to conduct drug tests at the time of admission to deter substance abuse from an early stage.

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