Delhi Sanitation Worker Stabbed to Death; Colleagues Protest Demanding Justice
A 27-year-old sanitation worker with the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) was allegedly stabbed to death in East Delhi's Kalyanpuri area, triggering protests by his colleagues who demanded immediate arrest of the accused and compensation for the bereaved family.
The victim has been identified as Anil. According to police, Anil sustained serious knife injuries and was rushed to a hospital, where doctors declared him dead. Police have sent the body for post-mortem and have registered a case. Forensic teams visited the spot and collected evidence.
Investigators are examining CCTV footage procured from the area to establish the identity and movement of the accused. A purported video of the incident has also gone viral on social media, though its authenticity has not been officially confirmed.
The video purportedly shows a man in a yellow T-shirt waiting at a distance while Anil is working. The man then appears to take out a sharp-edged object concealed behind his back and approach Anil. After what appears to be a verbal spat lasting a few seconds, the man is allegedly seen stabbing Anil in the stomach and fleeing. The footage also shows a few passersby and a motorcyclist stopping near the spot, but no one coming forward to help the injured worker.
In the video, Anil is then seen walking towards another location while holding his stomach, and later collapsing and lying motionless on the ground.
Anil's family members have alleged that they initially received a call from the police informing them that he had met with an accident. When they reached the spot, they came to know that he had been stabbed. The family claimed that Anil was called from behind before the attack, and that he had no enmity with anyone.
Following the incident, several MCD sanitation workers gathered at the spot and staged a dharna, demanding the immediate arrest of the accused. They also sought a government job for one member of Anil's family and adequate compensation. The protest caused tension in the area, with workers raising slogans seeking justice.
AAP MLA Kuldeep Kumar, who joined the protest, said he was sitting with sanitation workers demanding justice. He demanded immediate arrest of the accused, compensation for the family, and a government job for one family member.
A senior police officer said the motive behind the killing was yet to be ascertained. "The motive behind the killing is yet to be ascertained, and all possible angles are being examined. We are also trying to establish whether a single person or more than one person was involved in the attack," the officer said.
Police have formed multiple teams to identify and apprehend the accused. Investigators are scanning CCTV footage, collecting forensic evidence and questioning possible witnesses. Efforts are underway to reconstruct the sequence of events and ascertain the motive, the officer added.
The incident has again brought attention to the safety of sanitation workers in the city, who often work in vulnerable conditions with little protection. The protest by workers highlights the growing concern over their security and the need for adequate measures.
