Janakpuri pit fatal accident: Officials suspected of negligence suspended, says Delhi minister
New Delhi (PTI): Delhi Urban Development Minister Ashish Sood on Saturday said the government has suspended the officials suspected of negligence in connection with the death of a motorcyclist who fell into a pit dug up for construction work by the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) in west Delhi's Janakpuri area.
After inspecting the site, Sood said a committee was formed immediately after his visit on Friday morning.
"Immediate action was taken under the guidance of the water minister, and after the chief minister's intervention, all officials suspected of negligence have been suspended," Sood said.
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The minister further added that FIRs have been registered against both the DJB and the contractor involved.
"If any DJB officials are found guilty during the inquiry, cases will be registered against them as well. Legal action is also being taken against the contractor for negligence, and arrests are being carried out as part of the ongoing police action," he said.
The deceased motorcyclist, identified as Kamal, a resident of Kailashpuri and an employee at a private bank's call centre, was on his way home from his office in Rohini when the accident occurred on Friday, police said.
Expressing grief over the loss of a young life, the minister said, "Our pain and sorrow cannot bring the man back, but I assure you that the chief minister is personally monitoring the entire case and ensuring timely updates."
Referring to the traffic disruption in the area, Sood said that the construction work on this key road connecting Vikaspuri and adjoining areas would face delays due to the accident.
"To minimise inconvenience to residents, we are taking necessary steps to ensure smooth movement of traffic on a single carriageway in both directions," he said.
A joint inspection was conducted by officials from the Delhi Police, municipal corporation, Delhi Traffic Police, DJB and the Public Works Department to expedite the restoration of the road.
Sood said the DJB had issued a circular on January 26 directing all departments to ensure compliance with safety norms.
"As the urban development minister, I am also writing to the municipal corporation and other departments. After this incident, we will ensure there are no lapses or negligence is repeated," he said.
Preliminary investigation suggests that the pit was a part of the ongoing DJB construction work, and had been barricaded, the police added.
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Car catches fire on Delhi-Mumbai Expressway in Rajasthan, five of family burnt alive
Jaipur (PTI): Five members of a family were burnt alive while the driver was seriously injured after a car caught fire on the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway in Rajasthan's Alwar district, police said on Thursday.
The incident took place near Maujpur on Wednesday night when the victims were returning from a pilgrimage to Vaishno Devi in Jammu and Kashmir.
Additional Superintendent of Police Priyanka Raghuvanshi said fire tenders were rushed to the spot and the blaze was brought under control in 15 minutes, but by then the car was completely gutted.
The deceased have been identified as Santosh, his wife Shashi, mother Parvati and daughters Raghani and Sakshi, all residents of Chainpura in Sheopur district of Madhya Pradesh.
Deputy Superintendent of Police Kailash Jindal said a short circuit is suspected to have triggered the blaze. As it was a CNG vehicle, the fire spread fast, leaving the occupants with no time to escape.
"Only skeletal remains were recovered from the vehicle, which have been preserved separately. DNA tests will be conducted to establish their identity," he said.
The car driver, identified as Vinod Kumar Mehar, managed to jump out of the vehicle but sustained around 80 per cent burn injuries. He was initially taken to a nearby health centre and later referred to Jaipur for advanced treatment, officials said.
Further investigation is underway.
