Daijiworld Media Network – Mumbai

Mumbai, Apr 24: A 25-year-old man was killed and eight others injured after a tragic accident at an under-construction site in Bhandup (West) late on Wednesday night, with police booking the developer for alleged negligence.

The deceased was identified as Bhalchandra Ganesh Palle. All eight injured persons are reported to be in stable condition.

According to police, the incident occurred near Matoshree Hall in Janata Market when Palle, who had attended a wedding, along with friends chased an unidentified man who had allegedly misbehaved with a woman and ran into a nearby construction site.

Police said Palle accidentally stepped onto a wooden plank covering an under-construction sewage treatment plant tank and fell into the 25 to 30-foot-deep pit, suffering serious head injuries.

As friends and nearby construction workers rushed to rescue him, the plank reportedly gave way under the weight of several people standing on it, causing all of them to fall into the tank.
The incident triggered panic, following which police and fire brigade personnel rushed to the spot and launched a rescue operation.

All victims were pulled out and shifted to hospitals in Mulund and Mumbai for treatment, where doctors declared Palle brought dead.

Based on a complaint filed by the deceased’s father, Bhandup police have registered a case against Shraddha Developers under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

Police said preliminary findings suggest the construction site lacked adequate safety arrangements around the hazardous tank, which was allegedly covered only with loose wooden planks and metal sheets.

Officials said further investigation is under way into possible safety lapses by the developer.