Man killed, 4 injured as crane rams into house in Okhla

The victims were labourers working under the Public Works Department, and were living in a room near a Metro construction site

A 35-year-old man was killed and four other labourers were injured when a crane rammed into the wall of a room in which they were sleeping near a Metro construction site in Okhla. The incident was reported in the early hours of Tuesday at Pul Prahaladpur police station, officers aware of the matter said.

The deceased was identified as Gariba Kumar, 35. (Representational image)

The deceased was identified as Gariba Kumar, 35, and the injured people were identified as Khem Chand, 22, Ghanshyam Singh, 42, Rameshwar Singh, 45, and his wife Harkawar Devi, 42, all originally belong to Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh, said deputy commissioner of police (south east) Rajesh Deo.

Police said that the control room received a call at 3.56am and the caller reported that a crane rammed into a house, following which a man died. The caller added that the crane driver immediately fled from the spot.

“Responding to the call, station house officer along with the staff reached the spot opposite a petrol pump on Mehrauli-Badarpur road and found that a heavy-duty crane barged halfway inside a small room,” said a senior police officer.

During inquiry, it was revealed that those injured are labourers, working under the Public Works Department, and were living in a room near the site. They were working on the MB Road. There was a construction site where work for the Golden Line, connecting the airport to Tughlakabad, is in progress and the crane was deployed to work at the site, the officers added.

According to police, the guard deployed at the Metro site, who identified himself as Deepak, told them that the crane operator was taking the crane from the Metro site to Tughlakabad. When he tried to take a turn towards Tughlakabad on MB Road, he lost control, they added. “As a result, the crane rammed into the wall of the house situated on the opposite carriageway. The impact was such that the wall collapsed and fell on those sleeping inside,” the investigator said, adding that the room was a brick structure with tin roof and was the only such structure at the spot.

Five people were rushed to AIIMS Trauma Centre where Gariba was declared dead and the others were undergoing treatment.

“During further probe, it was revealed that the crane driver fled the spot. The crane belonged to a private company and we have sent a notice to the company to share details of the driver,” the officer said.

“A case under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita on charges of causing death by negligence, causing hurt and rash driving was registered,” DCP Deo said.

A Delhi Metro Rail Corporation official said that the incident did not take place at the construction site and it “looks like a road accident”.

The official added that the crane belongs to a company based in Gurugram, and “while moving on the road accidentally hit a brick structure in the Lal Kuan area, on the Mehrauli Badarpur Road just opposite the Bharat Petroleum Station”.