Kamal Jain, an assistant manager at HDFC Bank in Northwest Delhi, spoke to his twin brother at 11:53 on Thursday night. He promised to be back home in 10 minutes. Within minutes he went missing, and then came the news of his death.
The 25-year-old Kamal's body was found in a pit in Delhi's Janakpuri Friday morning. In pictures shared on social media, Kamal can be seen lying next to his Apache RTR 200 bike at the bottom of the pit. He was wearing a helmet, riding jacket, and gloves.
The pit was dug by the Delhi Jal Board, sources said.
A Night Of Horror At The Jain Household
Kamal spoke to his twin brother, Karan, around midnight and said he would reach home within minutes. But when he didn't come for 30 minutes, the family grew suspicious.
"We called Kamal at least 10 times, but all calls went unanswered. We began the search and went to the local police station to register a missing person complaint," said Kamal's childhood friend, Mayank.
The police allegedly refused to file a complaint since it had not been 24 hours since Kamal went missing.
"We asked the police to trace his phone's location before it is switched off. They shared the location but deleted the message before we could open it, claiming confidentiality reasons. They then told us that the phone is within a 200-meter radius," the friend added.
The police sent two personnel to help family and friends find Kamal in a nearby park and allegedly asked them to come at 11 am on Friday to register a complaint.
Searching for him, the family claims they visited at least six police stations but did not receive help from any.
"At every police station we were asked to share Kamal's picture, mobile number, and bike number to be circulated on WhatsApp," Mayank added.
The family returned home at around 7 in the morning and soon received a call from the police asking them to come to the accident site.
"I checked the ditch at 1:30 am, and Kamal wasn't there. I have been looking for my brother for hours," said Karan.
Delhi Jal Board Constitutes High-Level Inquiry Committee
The Delhi Jal Board has constituted a high-level inquiry committee to ensure a transparent investigation into the incident at its pipeline rehabilitation worksite. The committee has been directed to inspect the accident site and review safety arrangements, barricading, signage, and traffic management. The team will also verify compliance with all safety norms and recommend corrective action. The committee has been asked to submit a detailed report by evening.
The Delhi Jal Board expressed "deep sorrow" and said it "stands in solidarity" with the family.
Preliminary findings indicate that the road where work was underway had been closed using barricades and green mesh, and the pit at the accident site was also secured with green mesh, the Delhi Jal Board said.
"To examine the circumstances of the incident and assess compliance with prescribed public safety norms, a committee has been constituted, which will submit its report by this evening. If the inquiry finds any negligence on the part of any Delhi Jal Board official or employee, strict action will be taken," it added.
(With inputs from Abhishek Kapoor)
