Mr. K. Kannan, J (Oral). - I. Cause for litigation:

1. The petition is filed at the instance of the husband, son and daughter of one Sarita who was working as a Senior lecturer in New Senior Secondary School, Ludhiana but met with an unfortunate death by a fall into an open manhole on a public road in Ludhiana City. The incident had happened on 18.4.1999 when she was reported to be coming from the side of milk plant in Ludhiana and when she was walking near the canal bridge opposite Gurudwara Nanaksar Sahib. She fell into a sewerage manhole which was not covered with the lid. The contention was that the sewerage main line was not visible as the same had been covered with grass and leaves. The body was recovered after search for over 69 hours on 21.4.1999. The complaint had been registered with the police under DDR No.8 dated 19.4.1999 at 10.30 A.M., the following day and after the body was recovered and post-mortem was done, the doctor had certified that the death had occasioned on account of ‘asphyxia’ as a result of drowning which was sufficient to cause death in the ordinary course of nature.

II. Response from State functionaries

2. The incident of death due to the acci