"Everything Is Ruined Now": Family Of Man Who Died In Open Manhole In Delhi

Birju Kumar, 30, was the sole breadwinner for his family. Following his father's death when Birju was just 10, his mother, Geeta Devi, worked as a labourer to raise him and his sister. As he grew older, Birju took over the responsibility of supporting the entire household.

A resident of Sadipur Bathnaha village in Bihar's Samastipur district, Birju had been working in Delhi for the past eight months. On Tuesday evening, he fell into an open roadside manhole in the Begumpur area of Rohini Sector 32. Following a search operation by the fire brigade, his body was recovered after several hours and sent for a post-mortem examination.

"He lived for all of us. He worked day and night to support his children's education and household expenses. I don't understand how we will survive now," said Birju's wife, Suchita Devi, adding that since the accident, their three children, Ayush (8), Aryan (5), and Riya (3), have been struggling to understand that their father will never return.

Birju had three children.

Family members said that Birju worked as a centring worker and had recently received some money from his company. With this money, he had gone to the market with his friends and was returning after buying clothes for his family when the accident occurred. According to the family, he was preparing to return to the village after finishing work in four or five days.

"Brother took care of us all. Mother is old, sister-in-law and children depend on him. Now everything is ruined. If the government doesn't help, the children's future will be in darkness," said Birju's sister, Poonam Devi. 

As soon as news of the incident reached the village, mourning spread. The stove has not been lit in Birju's house since Wednesday. "Birju was a very hardworking boy. He used to go to Delhi to work to improve his family's condition. Such accidents are the result of the negligence of the government and the administration. Open manholes are taking lives, but no one listens," said village resident Shivchandra Rai.

The stove has not been lit in Birju's house since Wednesday.

"People like Birju build cities, but there are no arrangements for their safety. If the manhole had been covered, his life would have been saved today. The government should immediately compensate this family," said another village resident, Balram Kumar. 

The family said that after the post-mortem examination on Thursday, Birju's body will be brought to the village, where the last rites will be performed. A large number of people are expected to arrive in the village to pay their last respects.

The family has demanded immediate financial assistance from the government to support the family and continue their children's education.