Two labourers died of suffocation while cleaning a septic tank at Saraswatipuram on Saturday.
The victims have been identified as Chikkanna and Kariyanna, both aged 35 and residents of Kuripalya on the outskirts of the city.
The duo were employed by Tumakuru Mahanagara Palike contractor Kempanarasaiah to clean the septic tank of his house.
Kempanarasaiah and his family members have escaped following the death of two workers. The residents informed the police about the incident, who rushed to the spot and retrieved bodies from the pit.The family members of the deceased and the members of various organisations staged a protest along with the bodies, demanding a compensation of Rs 10 lakh. Deputy Commissioner K P Mohan Raj, who rushed to the spot, instructed the officials concerned to register a case and arrest the house owner.