New Delhi (Gurpreet Singh): Four people, including an HR manager, were killed and two others injured after a dumper rammed into a stationary crane and an auto-rickshaw during CCTV installation work in southeast Delhi’s Sarita Vihar early Sunday, police said.
The accident took place around 3.20 am when the dumper, which had a Haryana registration number, was travelling from Noida towards Delhi. According to police, it first collided with the crane parked on the roadside before hitting the auto-rickshaw carrying workers.
The dumper driver fled the spot after the crash but was later apprehended, police said. The vehicle has also been seized.
What Happened In Sarita Vihar?
The workers were engaged in installing CCTV cameras as part of traffic police’s surveillance infrastructure in the area.
Police said two workers were on the crane and were involved in installing the cameras, while other workers were near the auto-rickshaw and on the road when the dumper crashed into the vehicles.
Several workers suffered serious injuries in the collision. They were taken to hospital, where four were declared dead during treatment.
The deceased were identified as Umesh, 23, Praveen, 35, Anoop, 26, all residents of Sangam Vihar, and Suraj, 34, a resident of Munirka.
Who Were The Victims?
According to police, Suraj worked as an HR manager with a technology company, while Praveen and Anoop were labourers associated with the company involved in the CCTV installation work.
Umesh was not employed with the company, police said.
The injured were identified as Akash alias Tushar, 20, from Sangam Vihar, and Khem Singh, 40, from Rohini. Both are undergoing treatment.
Another worker, Sudhir, who is from Sangam Vihar, escaped unhurt.
The accident also affected one family particularly severely. Praveen, Anoop and Akash were cousins.
Praveen’s family said he was the sole earning member of his household and had two young children.
Family Alleges Lack Of Safety Measures
Relatives of the victims have alleged that adequate safety equipment and precautions were not provided to the workers while they were carrying out the night-time CCTV installation work.
A family member, Brajesh Kumar, alleged that the workers were not provided proper safety gear and demanded action against the company as well as the dumper driver.
Another relative, Satish Kumar, claimed there was inadequate safety at the worksite when he reached the spot after being informed about the accident.
The allegations have not been independently established. Police have not attributed responsibility for the accident to the company or confirmed any lapse in safety arrangements.
Police Probe Underway
Police teams reached the accident site and examined the vehicles and surrounding area. Investigators are examining CCTV footage from the area to reconstruct the sequence of events and establish the dumper’s movements before the collision.
Police are also checking the dumper’s speed, its route from Noida, the exact point of impact and the positioning of the crane and auto-rickshaw.
Investigators are examining the work arrangements at the site, including the deployment of workers and safety measures in place during the CCTV installation.
The mechanical condition of the dumper, the crane and the auto-rickshaw will also be examined as part of the investigation.
Police are recording statements from the injured workers and witnesses. The bodies of the deceased have been sent for post-mortem examination.
The role of the company, if any, will be determined based on the evidence collected during the investigation, officials said.
