2 supervisors held for death of Pune construction worker

It is mandatory for supervisors to provide safety belt, helmets and other equipment and accessories to the deceased which could have helped save his life, the complaint stated

Pune: The Kondhwa police on Saturday arrested two supervisors of a construction site on charges of negligence in connection with the death of a labour on February 13.

Police line tape. Crime scene investigation. Forensic science.(PICTURE FOR REPRESENTATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY)

The arrested have been identified as Shahbaz Hussain Shaikh (29), a resident of Bhagyodayanagar in Kondhwa Khurd and Shakir Hussain Ansari (33), a resident of Kondhwa Khurd. The incident took place in Survey No 5514/7 at Kirti Apartments in Kondhwa Khurd.

The offence was registered after completion of legal formalities, including documentation done by the state labour department. Assistant inspector VT Bhongale of Kondhwa police station, who lodged the FIR in connection with the incident, said that a labour identified as Sohail Ahmed Siddiqui (34) died after falling from the first floor of an under-construction building where he was working.

It is mandatory for supervisors to provide safety belt, helmets and other equipment and accessories to the deceased which could have helped save his life, the complaint stated. An accidental death related case was lodged in the case and it took over a month to complete legal formalities before filing the FIR, investigating officers said.

The police have invoked Section 304 (causing death by negligence) under Indian Penal Code against the accused.

According to Bandhkaam Kamgar Sena, which has been campaigning for improvements in the working conditions of construction workers, at least one labourer dies every day at a construction site in Pune wherein the government authorities and builders have often found to have neglected safety of workers. At least 110 deaths of construction workers in 2018 and 115 deaths in 2019 were reported, according to labour department.