The rule: 2 - 4 requires родительный падеж? человек - человека!
When the numeral or compound number ending in 2-4 is in именительный/винительный падеж, the word is singular unless it is animate. All other cases, including родительный in the example, require the word to match the case. Here, it does become plural человек.
Last edited by Black Forest; October 1st, 2016 at 10:39 AM.
Reason: Correction