Builder, contractor, site supervisor booked after worker falls to death

The Mulund police on Friday registered a case under section 304A (causing death by negligence) against Oberoi builder, the builder’s contractor, Green Façade Solutions, and a site supervisor

Mumbai: Eight days after a 26-year-old worker died by falling from the 14th floor window of Oberoi Eternia, a high-rise building in Mulund, the local police have booked the builder, the work contractor and the site supervisor on charges of causing death by negligence as they allegedly did not take adequate safety measures for the workers.

Mumbai, India - January 21, 2023: A labourer dies after falling from the 14th floor of an under construction builidng of Oberoi Eternia housing project of Oberoi Realty, at LBS Marg, Mulund (West), in Mumbai, India, on Saturday, January 21, 2023. (Praful Gangurde/HT Photo) (HT PHOTO)

The Mulund police on Friday registered a case under section 304A (causing death by negligence) against Oberoi builder, the builder’s contractor, Green Façade Solutions, and a site supervisor. The case was registered based on complaint lodged by 65-year-old father of the deceased; Salauddin Hussain, a farmer from Basti district in Uttar Pradesh.

Hussain’s son Azizullah Salauddin had been living with his elder sister’s family in Ulwe in Navi Mumbai for the past five/six years. Since December 2022, Azizullah was working for Gaziyabad based company Green Facade Solutions Private Limited. The company is currently looking after the work of setting up windows in Oberoi Eternia on LBS Road in Mulud West.

According to the police complaint, in the evening on January 13, when the family called Azizullah to ask when is he coming back home, a police officer accepted the call and informed the family that Azizullah had died in an accident and his body was kept at Agarwal Hospital in Mulund.

The family reached the hospital and claimed the body and conducted last rites on the deceased on January 14.

Azizullah’s father later inquired four co-workers of his deceased son about the incident. The co-workers told him that on the day of the incident Azizullah was fitting windows on the 14th floor of the building – Oberoi Eternia.

“The four co-workers told me that no safety net or iron plate was installed to enable workers to work at the place, and when Azizullah was working and fell down from the building, there was no other worker along with him. My son has died because of the negligence of Oberoi builder, Green Facade company, the contractor and the supervisor,” Hussain has alleged in the FIR of which HT has a copy.

“We have booked the builders, contractor and others. We will soon record the statements of Azizullah’s co-workers, and others. No arrests have been made as yet, and investigation is on,” said Kanthilal Kothimbire, senior inspector of Mulund police station.

A spokesperson for Oberoi builders expressed inability to comment on the development, saying they cannot comment without seeing the copy of the FIR.