Landowner, contractor booked for labourer’s death

Naigaon police booked a contractor and landowner after a labourer died and another was injured at a construction site due to safety negligence.

MUMBAI: The Naigaon police have booked the landowner and the contractor of an under-construction site on Wednesday after a labourer died, and another suffered severe injuries on the site on November 5.

Landowner, contractor booked for labourer’s death

According to police officers, the incident took place at 9.45am during the construction of a godown at the plot in Sasupada, Naigaon, where at least 10 labourers were working. Musardir Shaikh (28) was laying asbestos sheets on the terrace of the godown while Firozuddin Shaikh was laying tiles on the lower floor when a slab fell injuring both. Musardir fell on Firozuddin along with the debris.

The other labourers called up the fire brigade which rescued both the men and rushed them to the nearby civic hospital where Musardir died around 6.30pm the same day while Firozuddin was admitted in the ICU. The Naigaon police had then registered a case of accidental death (ADR) and had begun investigations in the incident.

After recording the statements of the other labourers and eyewitnesses at the spot, the police found out that the contractor, identified as Sirjul Sadali Shaikh, and landowner Habib Sabrati Shaikh had not taken any safety precautions at the under-construction site.

“We have booked the contractor and landowners for death due to negligence as they failed to comply with the safety measures leading to the death of a daily wage labourer and injuries to another,” said an officer from Naigaon police station.