Delhi CM seeks safety report from depts after Rohini manhole death

According to officials, police were informed at around 3pm on Tuesday about a man falling into a drain. After nearly six hours of rescue efforts, Kumar was pulled out at around 9pm, but was declared dead.

New Delhi: Delhi Police on Thursday wrote to Delhi Development Authority (DDA) seeking details of officials responsible for maintaining the manhole where a 30-year-old daily wage labourer fell to death in Rohini’s Begumpur area on Monday night.

The deceased, Birju Kumar, from Samastipur in Bihar, was found in a 14-foot-deep open sewer near Mahashakti Kali Mandir in Sector 32, Begumpur on Tuesday evening (Shutterstock)

“We wrote to DDA asking them about officials who are responsible for the work in this area and for maintaining the manhole. They are yet to share details,” a police officer said.

The deceased, Birju Kumar, from Samastipur in Bihar, was found in a 14-foot-deep open sewer near Mahashakti Kali Mandir in Sector 32, Begumpur on Tuesday evening.

According to officials, police were informed at around 3pm on Tuesday about a man falling into a drain. After nearly six hours of rescue efforts, Kumar was pulled out at around 9pm, but was declared dead.

Deputy commissioner of police (Rohini) Rajeev Ranjan said Kumar was accompanied by a friend, Budhan Das, at the time of the incident. During questioning, Das told investigators that both had been consuming alcohol all day on Monday.

“They were heavily intoxicated and walking together when Kumar allegedly lost his balance and fell into the sewer around 7.30pm. His friend claimed he did not immediately realise what had happened due to his inebriated state,” an officer said, adding that Das said he realised only on Tuesday afternoon that Kumar had fallen.

Preliminary inquiries, police said, suggest the manhole was uncovered at the time. A case was registered against unknown persons for causing death by negligence.

The incident came days after a 25-year-old man died after falling into an uncovered and unsecured pit in Janakpuri dug by the Delhi Jal Board, triggering public outrage over civic negligence.