Haryana Human Rights Commission raps Hansi authorities for slacking in sewer deaths probe

The Haryana Human Rights Commission has rapped the civic authorities for a "lackadaisical approach" in investigating the death of two people in a septic tank last year in Hansi.

The Commission said that their approach reflected a serious violation of the right to life and dignity under Article 21 of the Constitution, and contravenes the Supreme Court's directive prohibiting manual sewer entry without safety gear.

The HHRC had taken a suo motu cognisance of the deaths of two workers in Hansi in Haryana, who allegedly died after being forced to enter a hotel's septic tank without protective gear.

According to a December 17, 2025, order, passed by the full Commission comprising Chairperson Justice Lalit Batra and members Kuldip Jain and Deep Bhatia, such incidents continue unabated, despite clear directions by the Supreme Court in the Safai Karamchari Andolan vs Union of India case.

The Bench said it would not allow the matter to be brushed aside and would ensure that the accountability of the culprits is firmly fixed.

An FIR in the matter was filed on October 19, 2025.

The HHRC, after examining the report submitted by the Hansi Superintendent of Police, found that the investigation had not progressed at the expected pace.

The Commission found the report "conspicuously silent" on fixation of responsibility, despite the district attorney's assertion that a cognizable offence was prima facie made out.

"The failure to act decisively in pursuance of the said legal opinion reflects a lackadaisical approach on the part of the Investigating Agency in a matter involving loss of human lives and grave violation of human rights," the Commission observed in its order.

With these observations, the Commission directed the Investigating Officer and the Hansi Deputy Superintendent of Police (Crime) to appear before it in person with the case records.

It directed that the Deputy Commissioner must submit a detailed report within six weeks on the relief and compensation paid or sanctioned to the families of the workers, any interim assistance provided, and the measures proposed for the rehabilitation of the dependents.

It ordered the municipal council or the gram panchayat of Rampura village to submit a report within six weeks on the circumstances of the incident, licensing and inspection of the hotel premises, and violations, if any, of the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and Their Rehabilitation Act, 2013.

The Commission ordered the Superintendent of Police to monitor the investigation and submit an action taken report to it a week before January 15, the next date of hearing.

It also flagged that the hotel management failed to submit its compliance report on suspension of manual entry into septic/sewer tanks without safety gear, availability of safety gear, measures on gas testing, rescue, oxygen cylinders, oxygen masks and mechanisation, and asked to file the report within six weeks.