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5-member panel to probe Dindori accident
The panel, headed by Abhijit Kadam, the chief officer of Sinnar municipal council, will have to submit its report to the district collector, Ayush Prasad, within a week
The Nashik district administration on Tuesday formed a five-member committee to conduct an in-depth probe into the cause of the accident in Dindori town last Friday night. Nine members of a family, including six children, died when the multi-utility vehicle they were travelling in fell into a 25-metre-deep roadside well filled with water that lacked a safety wall.
The panel, headed by Abhijit Kadam, the chief officer of Sinnar municipal council, will have to submit its report to the district collector, Ayush Prasad, within a week.
Vinod Jagtap, the design assistant for the Sinnar municipal council, is the panel’s member secretary. The other three members are Ravindra Chavan, assistant director of the Nashik Town Planning department, Yashwant Patl, the executive engineer (municipal administration) in the collector’s office, and Rekha Vishwakarma, the assistant commissioner (municipal administration) in the collector’s office.
“The committee will present the facts of the case and conduct a comprehensive investigation into the factors that led to the accident. It must review the situation at the site, work methods, safety measures, and administrative responsibilities in detail,” Prasad said.
The panel will investigate the incident under the guidance of district additional commissioner (municipal administration) Sham Gosavi. It will visit the accident site for a physical inspection, record statements from the concerned officers and workers, and study the quality of work and implementation of safety regulations.
“The committee will also have to suggest necessary measures to prevent such incidents in the future. Dindori Nagar Panchayat must provide all necessary documents and records and cooperate with the panel during the investigation,” Prasad added.
Following instructions from state cabinet Minister Girish Mahajan, who visited the accident site on Saturday, the Dindori Nagar Panchayat fully closed the water body. Meanwhile, the Dindori police have lodged an FIR against the well owner, Rajendra Raje.
District officials said that the incident has raised serious questions about safety measures during road works, and the administration has indicated strict action against those found guilty in the matter.
