25-Year-Old Man Dies After Motorcycle Plunges into Delhi Jal Board Pit in Janakpuri
A tragic incident in West Delhi's Janakpuri area has claimed the life of a 25-year-old man after his motorcycle fell into a deep pit dug by the Delhi Jal Board (DJB). The victim, identified as Kamal Dhyani, was a telecaller at an HDFC Bank branch in Rohini. His body was discovered in the early hours of Friday, lying alongside his red motorcycle in the mud-filled excavation site.
Timeline of the Fatal Night
According to police reports, Dhyani left his office in Rohini's Sector 10 to return home to Janakpuri on Thursday night. At 11:53 PM, he spoke to his brother by phone, assuring him he would reach home by midnight. When he failed to arrive, his family grew concerned.
"I called him at 12:30 AM, but he did not answer," Dhyani's brother told reporters. "We searched his office and then approached Rohini police station, who directed us to Janakpuri police station."
At Janakpuri police station, authorities provided Dhyani's last known location, prompting a search operation that ultimately led to the discovery of his body in the DJB pit.
Political Outrage and Official Response
The incident has sparked significant political controversy, with former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal describing it as "murder, not an accident." In a statement posted on social media platform X, Kejriwal criticized what he called "extreme negligence and utterly irresponsible attitude" by authorities, drawing parallels to a similar tragedy in Noida less than a month ago.
In that previous incident, a 27-year-old software engineer drowned in a water-filled pit at an abandoned construction site in Noida's Sector 150. The victim had reportedly called for help for hours as his vehicle slowly sank in the pit.
Official Investigations and Safety Claims
Senior Delhi Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh announced that "a serious view" had been taken of the Janakpuri accident. The Delhi Jal Board has constituted a high-level inquiry committee to ensure transparent investigation, with a detailed report demanded by evening.
"Accountability will be enforced," the Minister stated. "Such incidents will not be allowed to repeat."
Meanwhile, the DJB claimed in an official statement that adequate safety measures had been implemented at the construction site, including barricades and green sheets. The Delhi government has issued a circular mandating a joint inspection of the site by multiple officials, including:
- District Magistrate
- Sub-Divisional Magistrate
- Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic)
- Deputy Commissioner of Police
- Senior officers from Public Works Department (PWD)
The inspection team is expected to issue necessary directions for appropriate action following their assessment of the site.
Broader Implications and Public Safety Concerns
This tragic incident raises serious questions about construction site safety protocols in the National Capital Region. The proximity of this fatality to the Noida drowning last month suggests a pattern of potentially hazardous conditions at excavation sites across the region.
As investigations proceed, authorities face mounting pressure to implement stricter safety regulations and enforcement mechanisms to prevent similar tragedies. The Delhi government's prompt response indicates recognition of the urgency, but the effectiveness of these measures remains to be seen as the community mourns another preventable loss of life.
