Contractor beats worker to death for seeking pay in Delhi

A 40-year-old worker died while another got injured after three people, including their contractor, thrashed them and attacked with sticks and a screwdriver on Thursday, police said on Sunday, adding that the workers had gone to his house to ask for their wages

A 40-year-old worker died while another got injured after three people, including their contractor, thrashed them and attacked with sticks and a screwdriver on Thursday, police said on Sunday, adding that the workers had gone to his house to ask for their wages.

The two were rushed to a nearby hospital immediately where they were treated and later discharged. (HT Photo)

The accused -- contractor Rakesh Guddu, his brother Jitendra Singh and their friend Raj Kumar -- have been arrested for assault and confinement, police said. Sections of murder were to be added to the FIR, they added.

The deceased, Mahesh Ram, and his friend Rohit Baleshwar, 29, are labourers who live in Indira Camp in east Delhi’s Trilokpuri. Baleshwar said that the two had picked up some cleaning work last week for Guddu.

“He (Guddu) took us to some house and made us do cleaning work near a tank but did not give us our money. On Thursday, Mahesh and I decided to confront him and went to his house. At first, he started giving excuses and said he would pay later. When we pushed him to give our pending wages, he locked the door from inside. He and his associates started thrashing us. They punched us…kicked us. Mahesh was on the ground when one of them hit on his shoulder with a screwdriver,” Baleshwar said.

He told police he was hit on the waist with a stick. When they screamed for help, locals gathered around the house and Guddu opened the door.

After the assault, Baleshwar said he called Ram’s brother, Jaiveer Ram, who took them to the hospital. Police were also called and an FIR was lodged under sections 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 115 (2) (voluntarily causing hurt) and 127 (wrongful confinement) of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita.

The two were rushed to a nearby hospital immediately where they were treated and later discharged.

“After getting discharged, I went back to my house. Ram had told me he was suffering from back pain because of the injuries. We couldn’t record our statements with the police because of our condition…The next morning (Friday), I found out that Ram died. Guddu, Singh and Kumar beat me and my friend which led to his death,” Baleshwar said in the FIR.

Police said Ram is survived by his two brothers, parents, wife and their two children -- all residents of Trilokpuri.

Ram’s brother, Gulab Singh, said, “He had injuries all over his shoulder. There were injuries in the head too, but no visible marks. We took him to the hospital, but they discharged him in an hour. On Thursday night, he complained of pain again. We were taking him to the hospital in the morning but he died on the way. I also want an enquiry against the hospital for not treating my brother. He could have survived.” However no complaints have been filed against the hospital, police said.

DCP (east) Abhishek Dhania said the matter is under enquiry and all three accused are being interrogated.