A contractor and the security guard of a local government school in Yerawada were booked five days after two children drowned in an unattended construction site on the school campus.
The two were identified as Dhanraj Namdev Lavte, the security guard who lives on campus, and Dashrath Mane, according to police.
The incident happened in Matoshree school in Lakshminagar area of Yerawada, run by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC). The two children were allowed by the security guard to enter the area despite the school being shut for summer vacation. On the other hand, Mane was booked as he failed to secure the pit with safety measures and had effectively allowed water stagnation.
A case under Sections 304(a) (causing death due to negligence) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) was registered against the two at Yerawada police station. Assistant police inspector (API) Suryakant Marode of Yerawada police station is investigating the case. Their deaths were initially recorded as accidental death.
"We have not yet arrested the two. We are yet to record their statements. Arrests will be made after thorough investigation in the matter," said API Marode. "The construction order was from February and the work for more number of classrooms had started in March. However, it had not progressed in the past month and a half. The reason behind it is a part of investigation," he added.
{{/usCountry}}"We have not yet arrested the two. We are yet to record their statements. Arrests will be made after thorough investigation in the matter," said API Marode. "The construction order was from February and the work for more number of classrooms had started in March. However, it had not progressed in the past month and a half. The reason behind it is a part of investigation," he added.
{{/usCountry}}The two children were identified as Rudra Chavan and Rudra Bhujbal, both between the age of six and seven. The two children drowned in the water stagnated at a construction site at Matoshree English Medium School on April 29, at around 3pm.
A day after the incident, residents have demanded action against those responsible for leaving it open, leading to the accident. The last rites of the two children were performed on May 1.