Man falls to death in open Jal Board pit, 3 officials suspended
New Delhi: A 25-year-old call centre employee died in west Delhi’s Janakpuri on Friday morning after his motorcycle plunged into a deep, water-filled excavation pit dug for a Delhi Jal Board sewer project, triggering suspensions of three DJB engineers, a criminal case against officials and contractors, and a citywide safety audit of all ongoing civic works.
The deceased, identified as Kamal Dhyani, was found inside a nearly 15-foot-deep pit along Joginder Singh Marg near the C2B red light close to Andhra School, an area where DJB had been carrying out sewer pipeline rehabilitation work for the past three months. Police said a PCR call was received at around 8:03 am on February 6 reporting that a man had fallen into a deep pit. Janakpuri police, along with fire services personnel, reached the site and retrieved Kamal’s body and his motorcycle from the waterlogged excavation.
Despite wearing a helmet, Kamal could not be saved. He was taken to Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital in Hari Nagar, where doctors declared him brought dead. Police said the pit measured roughly six metres in length, four metres in width and about 4.25 metres in depth, and had been freshly dug on Thursday as part of the sewer project.
Preliminary inquiries indicate that Kamal, a resident of Palam Colony, had been returning home after completing his night shift at an HDFC Bank call centre in Rohini. His family said he was in constant touch with them late Thursday but did not reach home. Relatives searched through the night, visiting multiple police stations including Janakpuri, Sagarpur, Vikas Puri and Rohini, before being informed around 7:30 am that his body had been found.
The family has alleged gross negligence by the Delhi Jal Board, claiming the site was inadequately secured and poorly marked, making it hazardous for commuters, particularly at night. They have also raised suspicion of foul play, which police said will be examined as part of the investigation.
A senior police officer said initial findings suggest the construction zone was barricaded but added that the exact sequence of events is still being established to determine how Kamal entered the restricted area. An FIR has been registered at Janakpuri police station under Section 105 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for culpable homicide not amounting to murder, naming the contractor and concerned DJB officials. A post-mortem has been conducted and further legal action is underway.
In response to the incident, Delhi Water Minister Parvesh Verma inspected the site and ordered the suspension of three DJB officers, an executive engineer, an assistant engineer and a junior engineer. “We are suspending three officers. It was their duty to monitor the progress of the work ongoing here,” Verma said.
He noted that while parts of the road were barricaded, initial observations indicated that safety arrangements around the excavation did not fully conform to prescribed norms and that two-wheelers were still moving in the vicinity. “The tragedy has caused deep pain to the affected family, and the government stands firmly with them in this difficult time. Public safety is paramount. Any failure in adhering to established safety standards will be dealt with strictly, both administratively and contractually,” Verma said.
The minister announced ex gratia compensation for Kamal’s family and said contractors executing the work have been placed under investigation, with possible blacklisting if violations are established. He also directed a comprehensive safety audit of all ongoing sewer, road and flood control projects across Delhi.
DJB officials said detailed safety advisories had been issued on January 24 following a similar fatal incident in Noida, instructing all agencies to ensure strict barricading, signage and public protection at work sites. The board has now constituted a high-level inquiry committee to fix responsibility, examine procedural lapses and recommend corrective measures.
The Janakpuri tragedy comes weeks after the death of 27-year-old software engineer Yuvraj Mehta, who drowned when his car fell into a waterlogged construction pit in Noida’s Sector 150 on the night of January 16-17, underscoring recurring concerns over civic safety across the National Capital Region.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal slammed the BJP-led Delhi government over a motorcyclist’s death after falling in a pit dug up by the Delhi Jal Board in Janakpuri area, alleging it was not an accident but a “murder”.
