A 25-year-old biker, Kamal Dhyani, died after falling into an open pit dug for a Delhi Jal Board sewer project in Janakpuri, west Delhi. Three officials were suspended in response, and the government ordered a high-level probe. An ex-gratia payment of Rs 10 lakh was announced for the family.
An open pit dug by the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) for a sewer line project on Joginder Singh Marg in Janakpuri turned deadly late Thursday night when 25-year-old Kamal Dhyani's motorcycle plunged into it. Dhyani, an assistant manager at an HDFC Bank call centre in Rohini, was heading home to Palam Colony when the accident occurred. Local residents discovered his mud-caked body and damaged TVS Apache bike at the pit's bottom around 8am Friday.
The rectangular pit measured about 6 metres long, 4 metres wide, and 4-4.5 metres deep, excavated just 1-2 days earlier as part of a three-month-old project. Preliminary inspections revealed inadequate barricading with a 5-foot gap allowing two-wheelers to pass, erratic street lighting, and no warning signs or reflective tapes. Resident R M Khosla, 80, said, "One side of the road had barricades but the other side had none. Two-wheelers would often pass through from the open side. Some streetlights work, some don’t. The pit is fresh, barely a day or two old. It was an accident waiting to happen."
Water Minister Parvesh Verma, overseeing DJB, ordered the suspension of three officials—Executive Engineer Vandana, Assistant Engineer A S Garewal, and Junior Engineer Alok Kumar—citing prima facie negligence. Verma stated, "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." Urban Development Minister Ashish Sood, Janakpuri MLA, visited the site and said, "It is an unfortunate incident. We stand with the family of the deceased. An inquiry has been ordered and the guilty will not be spared."
Delhi Police registered an FIR under Section 105 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for culpable homicide against the contractor and DJB officials. The family accused authorities of negligence, claiming they visited six police stations overnight but were told a missing person case could only be filed after 24 hours. The government announced a comprehensive safety audit of all ongoing sewer, road, and flood control projects. The incident echoes a similar tragedy in Noida on January 17, where a software engineer died in a water-filled pit.
