Cops say accused had failed to provide safety gear to labourers working in under-construction building; deceased’s bodies sent for post-mortem analysis
The Bismillah Space building in Nagpada, where the mishap occurred on March 9. Pic/Satej Shinde
The JJ Marg police on Monday arrested two people—the labour contractor and the building contractor—in connection with the Nagpada incident in which four labourers died while cleaning a water tank. The incident took place on Sunday.
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According to the BMC, the incident took place at around 12.29 pm when some of the sanitation workers were in the process of cleaning a water tank at Bismillah Space building on Dimtimkar Road. Police have identified the arrested accused as Dalim Shaikh, the labour contractor, and building contractor as
Animesh Bishwas.
“The JJ Marg police are investigating the matter. Action will be taken against those who are found guilty,” said Dr Pravin Mundhe, DCP, Zone I.
According to the police, Akbar Nirban was the developer of Bismillah Space, and they had hired subcontractors to carry out the work. “Shaikh was the contractor who hired the labourers and Bishwas was the building contractor.
It was the joint duty of both to ensure that the contractors were provided with adequate training and safety equipment, which they failed to do,” said Sanjay Kate, senior police inspector at JJ Marg police station.
“The water tank had been nonfunctional for many years, and we suspect that poisonous gases might have accumulated inside of the tank. It was the duty of the contractors to inform the labourers to venture inside of the tank after a certain time to avoid any mishaps. The labourers did not wear a mask, and other safety measures were not provided to them,” the officer added.
Police said the accused have been booked under Sections 106 (causing death by negligence), 125 (act done harshly and negligently that endangers human life or personal safety of others), and 3(5) (common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
The bodies of the four deceased have been sent for post-mortem analysis, according to the police.
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