A 24-year-old contract laborer employed by the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) was found dead in a 21-feet deep drain chamber in Anand Vihar, police said on Tuesday.

The victim has been identified as Suraj Lohar, a resident of Anand Vihar. Lohar’s family claimed that he died while cleaning the room. Police officials privy to the investigation said they are yet to verify the allegation and have registered a case and started an investigation.

DJB officials did not respond to requests for comment.

Police said on Monday evening they received information from a hospital that a man had been admitted and was pronounced dead. When the police reached the spot, Lohar’s family claimed that he was working with DJB and used to clean a drain room where he was found dead.

A case has been registered on charges of causing death by negligence and an investigation has been initiated, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Shahdara) Prashant Gautam said.

Suraj’s father Mahendra Lohar (45), also a DJB contract worker, said his son had been working for the agency for the past two years and used to return home by 6 pm every day, but on Monday he didn’t come home. until 7 p.m. after which the family started looking for him.

“I went to where he worked and asked the street vendors outside if they had seen my son. They said it didn’t work out. The main door was closed, so I climbed the gate and entered. I saw my son lying unconscious inside the room,” he said.

The father said he called people for help and pulled his son out, after which he was taken to Dr Hedgewar Hospital where he was declared brought dead.

A senior police officer said the 21-feet-deep chamber had no water and there was a ladder-type facility. “He either fell in accidentally or he was already inside and may have suffocated. We are probing the case from all angles,” the officer said.