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Ranhola victims’ kin say hospital ‘ignored’ safety
The three bodies were fished out using white sheets used at the hospital, said a police officer requesting anonymity
A day after three men, including a retired Air Force Sergeant, allegedly died of electrocution while repairing a water motor inside a tank in the basement of a private hospital in outer Delhi, the family members of the victims on Saturday accused the hospital authorities of not providing safety gear to them.
Police have identified the retired Air Force personnel as Sarvesh Kumar, 59, who was an electrical engineer at the Commander Hospital at Vikas Nagar, near Ranhola in outer Delhi. He was a resident of Sahibabad, UP, and is survived by his wife and two sons aged 26 and 28.
According to Sarvesh’s family, he retired from the Air Force in 2008.
The other two victims have been identified as Kunwar Pal, 40, who was a plumber and his son Raman Kumar, 20, who used to help his father. They were residents of Mohan Garden. Pal, who was the sole breadwinner of his family, is survived by his wife and another son, investigators added.
Pal’s family took the bodies to the hospital demanding to meet the owner, who is found to be an ex-servicemen, and demanded justice. However, they were pacified by police officers and the crowd was dispersed.
“We don’t expect that people who call my brother for plumbing work in residential areas will provide any safety gear. But big establishments such as a hospital should have provided rubber boots and gloves to prevent electrocution,” said Pal’s brother, Dhanpal Kumar, 50.
According to investigators, the water motor inside the 14-feet tank malfunctioned, and Pal was called to repair it. The water level in the tank was four feet when Pal went in around 2.30pm, they said. “When Pal did not come out, his son Raman dived in to check on his father. When both of them didn’t return, Sarvesh jumped in. All three are suspected to have died due to the flowing current in the water,” they added.
The three bodies were fished out using white sheets used at the hospital, said a police officer requesting anonymity.
Pal’s second son, Vipin Kumar, 21, said his father was associated with the hospital for the last four to five years and used to go for plumbing work whenever the hospital manager called him.
“At the hospital, when we tried to go near the tanker, the authorities didn’t allow us. When my mother and I tried to meet the owner, they also didn’t let us do that,” Vipin said.
He added that his father had roped in Raman after he quit studies a few years ago.
Vipin, who is pursuing graduation from Delhi University’s School of Open Learning, wants to join the Delhi Police and took the exam to join the rank of constable on November 14. “My father was the sole earning member. How will we manage now? Who will compensate for our loss?” said Vipin.
Police said the post-mortem examinations of the victims were conducted at Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital on Saturday.
The hospital authorities could not be reached for a comment despite calls on two mobile numbers available on the internet.
Delhi Fire Services director Atul Garg said the firemen learnt that the tank was used to supply water to the fire hydrant system.
Deputy commissioner of police (outer) Jimmy Chiram said that a first information report under IPC’s section 304A (death by negligence) and other relevant sections was registered at the Ranhola police station.
