New Delhi, Feb 7: The Delhi Police has arrested a subcontractor for allegedly withholding the fact that a biker had fallen into a pit dug by the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) in Janakpuri area despite being aware of the incident, thus delaying police and emergency response, an official said on Saturday.
The police also noted that the authorities concerned with the excavation work were aware of the threat posed by the nearly 15-foot-deep pit “in the middle of the road”, and yet failed to ensure basic safety measures, including installation of barricading or warning signs, at the site.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (West) Darade Sharad Bhaskar said, the investigation has revealed that the accused — Rajesh Kumar Prajapati (47) — knew that someone had fallen into the pit hours before the matter was reported to the police.
According to the official, an eyewitness — Vipin Singh, who was returning to his home in Sagarpur after attending a wedding — saw a motorcycle had fallen into the ditch and informed a security guard at a nearby garage.
“The guard then alerted a labourer, identified as Yogesh, who looked into the ditch and noticed that the motorcycle’s headlight was on and a human figure was visible inside,” the officer said.
Call detail records showed that Yogesh informed Prajapati about the incident at 12:22 am, following which the subcontractor reached the spot within 15-20 minutes, he said.
However, Prajapati neither informed police nor the emergency services at that time. The incident was reported to the authorities around 8 am the following morning, the DCP added.
According to police, Prajapati, a B Com graduate and resident of north Delhi’s Tri Nagar area, has been arrested, while teams have been dispatched to trace Yogesh, who is believed to be a resident of Uttar Pradesh.
The FIR states the pit had been dug by the DJB and its contractor on Professor Joginder Singh Marg near the Andhra School, and left open without any safety arrangements to alert road users.
“There was no barricading, no warning sign or security guard deployed at the site despite the pit being dug in the middle of the road,” the FIR said.
A spot inspection conducted after the accident indicated that the concerned authorities were aware of the excavation work but failed to ensure basic safety measures. “The inspection of the scene clearly suggests that the pit was left open without any protective measures, posing a serious risk to commuters,” the FIR said.
Advocate Astha Chaturvedi, the counsel for the family of the deceased, alleged delays by police in collecting crucial evidence, including CCTV footage.
She said an FIR has been registered against the DJB and the contractor concerned over alleged negligence suggested by the absence of barricades and adequate lighting.
Chaturvedi claimed the deceased’s family had not been informed about the suspension of any official so far. She also raised concerns over the pace of the investigation, alleging that CCTV footage from the scene has not been provided even after more than 24 hours since the incident.
“If recordings are not shared, how will we know how the accident occurred,” she said.
A Janakpuri resident, Jaspreet Singh, alleged that safety measures were put in place only after the fatal accident. “This is not a one-day issue. After the boy died, they (authorities) suddenly remembered to put up barricades. There were no signs or barricading earlier,” he said.
According to a senior government official, an ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh is likely to be provided to the victim’s family soon.
In the wake of the incident, the Delhi government has directed DJB engineers to visit all ongoing construction sites and take corrective measures by Saturday evening. “Site visits are ongoing, engineers have been directed to identify shortcomings and take corrective measures by evening at all ongoing construction sites,” a senior DJB official said.
Delhi Urban Development Minister Ashish Sood on Saturday said the government has suspended three DJB officials suspected of negligence in connection with the incident. After inspecting the site, Sood said a committee has been formed for a comprehensive inquiry into the matter.
“Immediate action was taken under the guidance of the water minister, and after the chief minister’s intervention, all officials suspected of negligence have been suspended,” Sood said.
CCTV footage from the area is being analysed to establish the exact sequence of events, police said. (PTI)
