Man on Bike Dies After Falling in a Pit: No Warnings, No Signs, No Help
A 25-year-old bank employee died after falling into an unbarricaded construction pit in Delhi, leading to arrests, suspensions, and fresh concerns over safety negligence.
A 25-year-old man died after falling into a 20-foot-deep construction pit in Delhi’s Janakpuri area late at night, raising serious questions about safety measures at the site.
The incident took place on 5 February. Kamal Dhyani, who worked at HDFC Bank, was returning home around midnight. Before leaving, he had told his twin brother Karan that he would reach home in 10 minutes and asked his mother to make hot chapattis for him. His family was waiting to celebrate his parents’ wedding anniversary at midnight. However, after that call, he stopped answering his phone.
At the same time, construction work related to the Delhi Jal Board was going on in the area. A large pit had been dug on the road. According to police, there were no proper barricades, warning boards, reflectors or lights at the spot. Kamal, who was wearing a helmet and riding gear, rode into the open pit and fell in along with his Apache RTR 200 motorcycle.
A man returning from a nearby wedding reportedly saw the bike fall and informed a security guard, who then told a labourer named Yogesh. When Yogesh looked into the pit, he saw the motorcycle’s headlight on and Kamal lying at the bottom. Instead of calling the police or an ambulance, he informed the contractor, Rajesh Prajapati. Rajesh came to the spot but no rescue attempt was made during the night.
Meanwhile, Kamal’s family searched for him throughout the night. They visited multiple police stations and requested help in tracing his phone location. They walked through roads, checked open pits and nearby areas with flashlights, but could not find him.
On the morning of 6 February, around 8 am, a woman passing by noticed a motorcycle inside the pit and informed the police after others allegedly ignored the situation. Later, when Kamal’s brother called his phone again, the police answered and informed him that Kamal’s body had been found inside the pit.
Police said the pit had been dug only a few hours before the accident. They have arrested labourer Yogesh and contractor Rajesh Prajapati. Yogesh had reportedly tried to flee to Uttar Pradesh but was caught. The Delhi government has suspended three Delhi Jal Board officials, and a case has been registered against the contractor and concerned officials.
The Delhi Jal Board said a committee will investigate whether proper safety measures were followed. The government has announced a compensation of ?10 lakh for Kamal’s family.
The incident has once again raised concerns about poor safety practices at construction sites and lack of accountability, especially after a similar tragedy had earlier shocked the public.
