Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi

New Delhi, Feb 6: A motorcyclist lost his life after his bike plunged into an open pit dug for construction work by the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) in west Delhi’s Janakpuri area, prompting the Delhi government to order a probe into the incident.

Urban Development Minister Ashish Sood said the government has sought a detailed report to ascertain the circumstances that led to the death. The victim, identified as Kamal, a resident of Kailashpuri, was found dead inside the pit along with his motorcycle early on Friday. Kamal was employed at the call centre of a private bank.

According to police, information about the incident was received around 7 am, following which a team rushed to the spot. Preliminary investigations suggest the pit was part of an ongoing DJB project and had been barricaded, a senior police officer said.

However, Kamal’s family has alleged negligence on the part of the Delhi Jal Board and raised suspicion of foul play. Relatives said Kamal was returning home late Thursday night from his office in Rohini and was in constant contact with them. When he failed to reach home, the family searched for him through the night and approached multiple police stations, including Janakpuri, Sagarpur, Vikas Puri and Rohini.

They were informed around 7.30 am that Kamal’s body had been recovered from the pit. Police said all angles, including the allegations raised by the family, are being examined to establish the exact sequence of events.

Meanwhile, AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj criticised the Delhi government, alleging negligence and linking the incident to earlier deaths caused by open construction pits. In a post on X, he claimed the site was not properly barricaded despite complaints, calling it a “death trap”.

The incident comes weeks after a 27-year-old software engineer died when his car fell into a waterlogged pit near a construction site in Noida’s Sector 150, once again raising concerns over safety at construction sites and on under-construction roads.