Janakpuri biker death: All officers responsible suspended, says Delhi Home Minister

All officers responsible for the death of 25-year-old biker Kamal Dhyani after falling into a 14-foot deep pit dug by the Delhi Jal Board in the capital’s Janakpuri area have been suspended, Delhi Home Minister Ashish Sood said on Saturday (February 7). He further stated that no one found to be at fault for the incident would be spared, adding that an FIR has been lodged.

Visiting the spot during the day, Sood assured that the Delhi government will ensure smooth traffic on the road.

"All the departments conducted a joint inspection. We have directed the departments, and I am here to ensure that the road runs smoothly with minimum inconvenience to the public. All the officers responsible for the incident have been suspended,” said Sood.

“The police have also registered an FIR, and an investigation is underway. We will not spare anyone responsible. We want to tell the public that if an incident occurred despite all our efforts, we are also hurt, and the Chief Minister is monitoring the situation,” he added as quoted by ANI.

FIR reveals no warning signs marked the pit

The FIR lodged by the Delhi Police revealed that the uncovered pit dug by the Jal Board was not marked with any warning signs, reflectors, or barricades, and there were no lighting or security arrangements at the site.

Also Read: Delhi biker dies after plunging into pit; 3 Delhi Jal Board engineers suspended

The FIR further stated that the pit was left open in the middle of the road without any safety measures. According to the FIR, the police were informed through a PCR call by a woman who said that a bike rider had fallen into a pit about 15 feet deep and required immediate medical assistance.

Dhyani declared brought dead by doctors

When a police team reached the spot, it found a man lying inside the pit with a motorcycle. The pit measured about 20 feet in length, 13 feet in width and around 14 feet in depth and has been dug as part of an ongoing road work.

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After being brought out of the pit with the help of the Fire Brigade, the injured man, later identified as Kamal Dhyani, was rushed to Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital in a PCR vehicle, where the hospital later informed the police that "the patient brought by PCR has been declared brought dead," stated the FIR as quoted by ANI.

AAP demands Delhi police chief’s suspension

Meanwhile, AAP Delhi president Saurabh Bharadwaj demanded Delhi Police Commissioner Satish Golchha's suspension, accusing Delhi Police of suppressing information in the case.

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“The police and the Delhi BJP government made every effort yesterday to place the blame for Kamal Dhyani's death on Kamal Dhyani himself. They wanted to show that there was barricading everywhere. There are some questions that neither Delhi Police Commissioner Satish Golchha nor Delhi CM Rekha Gupta have answered,” said Bharadwaj.

“The police had the exact location of Kamal's phone; if they had shared it at night, he could have been saved. The police have not made the CCTV footage of the incident public. Police Commissioner Satish Golchha should be suspended immediately,” he added.

The backdrop

The development comes a day after a Dhyani was killed after falling into an open pit dug by the Delhi Jal Board in west Delhi’s Janakpuri area. He was riding an Apache RTR 200 and wearing a helmet at the time of the incident. He was found lying alongside his motorcycle at the bottom of the pit, while visuals from the spot later circulated widely on social media.

Three engineers of the Delhi Jal Board were suspended in connection with the incident, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma had said. Verma, who also holds charge as the Delhi PWD Minister, stated that strict action would be taken against the company executing the project. He further said that the Delhi Jal Board would provide compensation to the victim’s family.