DASAM slams government over manual scavenging deaths
seeks FIRs, Rs. 30 lakh compensation for victims’ families
New Delhi: The Dalit Adivasi Shakti Adhikar Manch (DASAM) has strongly criticised the government over the continued deaths of manual scavengers in the country, calling it a "deep failure to protect the most vulnerable members of society."
In a statement issued on Monday, DASAM demanded immediate registration of FIRs and independent judicial inquiries into all manual scavenging-related deaths. The organisation said that despite official claims of eradicating the practice, workers continue to die inside sewers and septic tanks due to institutional neglect and caste-based discrimination.
Citing government and independent reports, DASAM stated that 116 manual scavengers died in 2024, and in just the first six months of 2025, 42 more deaths have been reported—bringing the total to 158 in under two years. These deaths were reported across states including Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, and Odisha.
“Despite the legal framework under the 2013 Act and the Supreme Court’s directions, these preventable deaths are continuing due to systemic failures,” DASAM said.
The group has called for a minimum compensation of Rs. 30 lakh to families of the deceased, and Rs. 20 lakh for those who suffer disabilities. It also demanded comprehensive rehabilitation packages covering housing, healthcare, education, and employment for dependents.
DASAM further called for a nationwide audit of sanitation work, a ban on subcontracting to unregulated intermediaries, and stringent legal action against those violating the Supreme Court’s orders and the 2013 law.
“All deaths must be investigated under relevant provisions, including The Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and Their Rehabilitation Act, 2013 and The SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989,” the statement said, urging that all findings be made public and accountability fixed at every level.
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Man arrested with Rs 2.54-crore heroin in Mumbai
Mumbai (PTI): Police have arrested a man and seized over 500 grams of heroin worth Rs 2.54 crore in the illicit market from him in Mumbai, officials said on Friday.
The police's Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) made the drug seizure in Santacruz in the western suburbs. The operation was conducted by the Kandivali unit of the ANC on Thursday as part of a special crackdown against drug trafficking in the area, they said.
Acting on specific inputs, an ANC team conducted a raid in Santacruz (East) and intercepted a man. During a search, the team recovered 508 grams of high-grade heroin from his possession, an official said.
The seized contraband, a highly addictive, opioid drug derived from morphine, is estimated to be worth Rs 2.54 crore in the international market, he informed.
Following the seizure, a case was registered against the man under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, and he was formally placed under arrest in the early hours of Friday.
The police are currently investigating the source of the drug and trying to identify the intended recipients of the consignment, he said.
