The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Wednesday sought response of the State government and the Southern Railway to a petition filed by a woman from Sivaganga district who sought appropriate compensation for the death of her husband.

Justice L. Victoria Gowri, who was hearing the petition filed by B. Pathampriyal of Ilayangudi North, sought a counter affidavit from the authorities. The petitioner, who belongs to a Scheduled Caste, said her husband Balu was engaged in construction work and was cleaning a septic tank, along with his friend Muniyaswamy, also from Ilayangudi North, at a newly constructed railway building in Rameswaram. The petitioner alleged that they were not provided with safety equipment while cleaning the septic tank.

On November 16, 2024, her husband and his friend left for work as usual. Around 2 p.m. on that day, she received a phone call from Muniyaswamy who told her that when he and her husband were cleaning the septic tank, her husband fell unconscious and was taken to Rameswaram Government Hospital. The doctors declared him brought dead.

The petitioner said she immediately rushed to the hospital and, subsequently, lodged a complaint with Rameswaram police. Though an FIR was registered, there was no progress in the case. She said the death of her husband was due to the carelessness of railway authorities, who had forced the workers to clean the septic tank without safety equipment.

The petitioner sought a direction to the State and the Southern Railway to provide appropriate compensation to her family as per the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and Their Rehabilitation Act, 2013, and take appropriate action against the officials who were responsible for the death of her husband. The court posted the matter for hearing to June 3.