A 40-year-old labourer got trapped in a pit while repairing a Delhi Jal Board pipeline in north-east Delhi’s Shastri Nagar on Tuesday morning, the police said.
Tabrez from Bihar was rescued by fire service personnel and rushed to a hospital where he is undergoing treatment, said Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (North-East) R.P. Meena.
The police said that a PCR call was received at 10.23 a.m. and the caller informed them that a man had fallen into a pit at Zero Pushta Road where DJB pipeline repair work was under way. Delhi Fire Service officials were alerted and they rushed to the spot.
They rescued him after which he was rushed to Jag Pravesh Chandra Hospital. The doctors told the police that the victim was critically injured following which he was referred to Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital.
Under the debris
During inquiry, the police were informed that a few labourers were working inside a pit for some repair work. “In the meantime, a part of the 10-feet deep pit collapsed and debris fell on the victim. Soon after this, he fell unconscious,” Mr. Meena said.
A case under Sections 288 (negligent conduct with respect to pulling down or repairing buildings) and 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) of the Indian Penal Code has been registered based on Tabrez’s brother Aslam’s complaint and investigation is under way.
Aslam allegedly told the police that the labourers were not wearing any safety gear at that time.
DJB vice-chairman Dinesh Mohaniya said: “The workers were repairing a leakage in the water pipeline and were working under a contractor. At this point, we are not sure whether they had safety equipment or not but it will come up in the investigation. We are also exploring the possibility of giving compensation to the family of the worker.”
