12-year-old boy dies, 10 injured after wall collapses on them

A 12-year-old boy died and 10 others were injured when an old wall of MCD compound collapsed on Friday morning. It is reported that a tree that was being cut fell on the wall resulting in the incident. Tragedy struck at Desh Bandhu Road area of Central Delhi when a 12-year-old boy died when some men were cutting a tree in the MCD workshop premises. 

The log of the tree fell on the old wall of the compound which collapsed immediately giving no time to people to respond on the other side of the wall.

“The MCD was cutting a tree that was very close to the wall already in poor condition. The wall fell on people who were caught unaware,” said an eyewitness. The deceased boy has been identified as Kucchi. His father works as a daily wager. Also 10 other persons are reportedly injured who were rushed to RML and Lady Hardinge hospitals. Many of them were discharged after treatment.

“ The compound, now used by MCD as its workshop, was built in 1945. It’s very old and in a dilapidated condition. The wall carries an instruction not to stand or sit near it,” said a senior police officer.

A case of negligence has been registered and further investigation is on. Meanwhile, the Municipal Commissioner Praveen Gupta has placed Superintendant Engineer, K P Sachdeva, Executive Engineer, Ram Kishan and  Foreman P K Gaur under suspension pending inquiry for negligence and not taking proper care and safety measures in pruning of tree. 

He also informed that Rs 50,000 would be paid as compensation to the family of the deceased child out of Mayor’s Relief Fund. The inquiry would be conducted by the Addl Commissioner (Engg)Sanjay Goel.