Delhi tragedy: Another life lost to civic negligence as office-goer dies after falling into open pit at Janakpuri; 3 engineers suspended

PTC Web Desk: A routine commute home turned tragic for a young Delhi office employee after he died by falling into an uncovered water board pit in west Delhi’s Janakpuri. The incident has sparked outrage over civic negligence, prompting the Delhi government to suspend three Delhi Jal Board (DJB) engineers pending an inquiry.

The victim, identified as Kamal, a resident of Kailashpuri, had left his office in Rohini on Thursday evening but never reached home. When repeated calls to his phone went unanswered, his family grew anxious and began searching for him through the night. Relatives visited several police stations, including Janakpuri, Sagar Pur, Vikas Puri and Rohini, seeking information about his whereabouts.

According to police officials, teams worked overnight with the family after tracking the last known location of Kamal’s mobile phone. “The mobile tower location was available, but pinpointing the exact spot took time. Claims that no effort was made are incorrect,” a police source said.

The search ended in tragedy around 7.30 am on Friday, when Kamal’s body was found inside an open pit in the Janakpuri area. His motorcycle was discovered lying nearby. The pit, reportedly dug for water or road-related work, had no barricades, fencing or warning signs, officials said.

Preliminary investigations indicate that Kamal died due to injuries sustained after falling into the pit. The police are now examining CCTV footage from nearby areas to reconstruct his last movements. Meanwhile, the family has raised serious concerns over civic lapses, alleging that the uncovered pit on a busy road posed a serious risk to commuters. A relative also claimed that foul play cannot be ruled out, suggesting the possibility that Kamal may have been pushed.

Amid growing public anger, the Delhi government has initiated disciplinary action. Delhi minister Parvesh Sahib Singh announced that three DJB officials, an Executive Engineer (AXN), an Assistant Engineer (AE) and a Junior Engineer (JE) associated with the Janakpuri Line Rehabilitation Project, have been placed under suspension pending inquiry.

Officials said the suspensions are an interim step, and further action will depend on the findings of a high-level probe ordered by the government. The inquiry committee has been tasked with inspecting the accident site, reviewing safety arrangements, checking compliance with prescribed norms and fixing responsibility for any lapses.

Adding to the criticism, AAP councillor Raminder Kaur from Ward 100 alleged that the pit was part of ongoing PWD work and had been left open for months. “There were no barricades, no fencing and poor lighting. Roads are being dug without safeguards, which is leading to repeated accidents,” she said.

Following the incident, Delhi Urban Development Minister Ashish Sood has also ordered a formal inquiry to determine accountability and ensure steps are taken to prevent such fatal accidents in the future.