Four held for culpable homicide in Bhigwan elevator accident

They were killed after the elevator carrying them plunged 100 feet into the tunnel after the cables snapped on Monday evening.

Two days after eight labourers were killed due to snapping of cables of an elevator in an underground tunnel near Bhigwan, the Pune rural police on Wednesday arrested four people including the lift operator and supervisors.

According to Pawar, the accused, identified as Rambahadur Pal, Navin Kumar Sharma, Murali Krishna Methala and Shreedhar Valeshwarrao Vezdhala, were produced in the court and remanded in police custody for two days (HT PHOTO)

They were killed after the elevator carrying them plunged 100 feet into the tunnel after the cables snapped on Monday evening.

Following the incident, Bhigwan police arrested four people on the charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder, said sub-inspector BN Pawar of Bhigwan police station.

“Four persons including the operator of the elevator and supervisors, who were entrusted with the work of monitoring it have been arrested in the case. They have been booked under Section 304 of the Indian Penal Code,” said sub-inspector BN Pawar of Bhigwan police station.

According to Pawar, the accused, identified as Rambahadur Pal, Navin Kumar Sharma, Murali Krishna Methala and Shreedhar Valeshwarrao Vezdhala, were produced in the court and remanded in police custody for two days.

Police officials said that the operator and the supervisors monitoring the construction work at the site did not carry out proper maintenance of the elevator because of which it plunged.

“During the investigation, it was revealed that all four accused were responsible to look after the safety measures, so a case of culpable homicide not amounting to murder case was registered,” he said.

Once completed, the tunnel will allow water from Nira to Bhima basin, which is known as relatively dry region. The project, which has witnessed delays due to shortage of funds, is expected to be complete by 2020.