Pune, 16 August 2025: Pune: In a tragic incident on Independence Day, three contractual workers died of suffocation while laying optical fibre cables in a BSNL inspection chamber in the Nigdi area of Pimpri-Chinchwad.
According to police, four workers were engaged in the task. The chamber had nearly three feet of water. One worker entered first but began struggling to breathe. In an attempt to rescue him, two others went in one after another. All three collapsed due to a lack of oxygen. The fourth worker, who remained outside, raised an alarm.
Fire brigade teams rushed to the spot and pulled out the victims, who were immediately taken to a nearby private hospital. However, doctors declared them dead on arrival. The deceased were identified as Datta Holare, Lakhan Dhawre, and Sahebrao Girsep.
Their bodies have been sent for post-mortem, and Nigdi police have started an inquiry into the safety measures followed during the work.
The incident caused panic in the area, drawing senior officials from Pimpri-Chinchwad Police and the Fire Department. Locals questioned whether proper precautions had been taken during the operation.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis expressed grief over the tragedy, calling it a deeply saddening event. He said the state government would provide ₹4 lakh financial aid to the families of the victims. “We share the grief of their families and extend full support in this difficult time,” he said, adding that the administration is closely monitoring the situation.