Death in water-filled pit: Delhi Police register negligence case

The police suspect that the deceased, Ajit Sharma, 51, drowned on Friday morning while trying to drive through the spot, unaware of the pit.

One day after the body of an auto-rickshaw driver was found in a water-filled pit in northeast Delhi’s Harsh Vihar, police officers aware of the case on Saturday said that the autopsy report has revealed that he died by drowning, and added that they have registered a case of causing death due to negligence.

The incident took place near an under-construction flyover in Harsh Vihar, where there was a ‘very deep pit’, police said. (HT PHOTO)

Police said they suspect that the deceased, Ajit Sharma, 51, drowned on Friday morning while trying to drive through the spot, unaware of the pit.

There were no passengers at the time of the accident, police said.

They said that the spot where the body was found had a “very deep pit” dug up to bear pillars for an under-construction flyover.

Joy Tirkey, deputy commissioner of police (northeast), said, “The ditch was dug up to bear pillars for the under-construction flyover. So, while it was a very deep pit, it remained filled with rain water because of which we couldn’t determine its exact depth,” said Tirkey. “It seems Sharma drove over the ditch without realising that it was deep, toppled out of the auto, and accidentally drowned.”

The DCP said the charge of causing death due to negligence was applied as an initial probe suggested that there were lapses in terms of securing the pit. “There seemed to be issues with the barricading, signages and the deploying of guards to keep the public and vehicles away,” he said.

Responding to the incident, Public Works Department (PWD) minister Atishi’s office said in a statement, “The Delhi government has taken cognisance of the incident and is dealing with it very seriously. The responsibility to maintain these roads as per prescribed safety standards lies with the contractor assigned to the road. The government will enquire into the laxity on part of the contractor and take appropriate action. At the departmental level, the PWD Minister has also given directions for strictest possible action against the officials found guilty in this incident.”

On Saturday, as large number of vehicles drove past the accident spot, the pit was barricaded more effectively than the allegedly callous way it was prior to the death. The pit, however, remained filled with rain water.

A couple of men stood guard to prevent anyone from getting too close to the pit. One of them said that he was deployed there after the death, while the other said that he was posted from earlier. They refused to comment on the safety arrangements.

Tirkey said that the process of establishing responsibility is in process.

“Once that is done, we will write to the concerned company and contractor as well as the PWD, which was constructing the flyover,” he said.

Sharma’s family said they want justice.

“My father paid with his life for someone’s negligence. The punishment for the people responsible for it should be such that those working in public space are mindful about the consequences of their carelessness,” said his son Dhruv, who works at a vehicles’ spare parts shop in Karol Bagh.

Dhruv said his father worked long hours and didn’t care about his sleep or schedule because his job fed a family of six.

“He would work for 22 straight hours, sleeping in his auto for short spells in between rides to make the most of his duty hours,” said Dhruv. “Such carelessness on dug up roads threatens all our lives every day. Today my father actually paid with his life.”

Sharma’s brother Kuldeep said even the barricades placed around the mishap spot were kept without any thought. “The fencing should have been such that even a child doesn’t pass through. Here, an entire auto-rickshaw went through right into the pit and no one realised anything for so many hours,” he said.