Pune hoarding collapse follow-up: Railways to interrogate two main accused

While initially the authorities had claimed that the departmental inquiry report would be out in the 15 days, however, they missed the deadline as the railway authorities could not interrogate the two main accused in the incident, Sanjay Singh, junior engineer and Pandurang Vanare, blacksmith who were in judicial custody

Assuring action against those responsible for the collapse of the 40-foot hoarding, the central railway Pune division had appointed a four-member committee on October 7 to probe the incident.

Advertisement hoarding collapsed on vehicles at Juna Bazar chowk in Pune, India, on Friday, October 5, 2018 (Ravindra Joshi/HT PHOTO)

While initially the authorities had claimed that the departmental inquiry report would be out in the 15 days, however, they missed the deadline as the railway authorities could not interrogate the two main accused in the incident, Sanjay Singh, junior engineer and Pandurang Vanare, blacksmith who were in judicial custody.

While both the accused are now out on bail, the authorities are likely to interrogate them next week. Manoj Jhawar, public relations officer (PRO), central railways, Pune division said, “Despite our repeated requests, we were not allowed to interrogate the two accused as they were in judicial custody. All our requests were turned down. However, now that both the accused are out on bail, the committee appointed by the railway authorities will immediately probe these two people in the coming week.The departmental inquiry report is likely to come out in the next 10 days,”.

According to railway officials, eight people in Pune division, from the engineering and commercial departments have been questioned so far.

The frame of a billboard 40-feet in height collapsed at the Shahir Amar Shaikh chowk on October 5 at Junna bazaar, killing four persons and seriously injuring five.The frame, installed on land belonging to the Pune railway department, was being removed when the incident happened.

Ten vehicles, including at least six autorickshaws, a car and three two-wheelers were crushed, as the frame fell onto vehicles that had stopped at a signal of the chowk. All the four people who died were in two rickshaws which bore the direct impact of the falling frame. The steel girders of the frame crushed the rickshaws in question.