'Such Pits Should Not Remain In Future': Delhi Biker's Father

The father of 25-year-old biker Kamal Dhyani who died after falling into a Delhi Jal Board (DJB) open pit in Janakpuri, while on his way home at night from work, on Saturday, expressed dissatisfaction with the Delhi government and demanded accountability, saying such pits should not remain in the future.

Speaking to IANS, Naresh Dhyani, said, "We are not satisfied with the government. They might do some temporary fixes, but the same problems keep recurring. A few days pass, then nothing is done. Nothing was done, absolutely nothing. What happened has happened, but in the future, such pits should not remain, and the government must take responsibility."

He said the family and friends searched for Kamal through the night and later learnt about the incident in the morning.

"We, his friends, went out to find him in the park or nearby areas. Then we got to know in the morning that he fell into the pit with his bike in the dark. We want that such things should not happen in the future and the Delhi government should take responsibility," he said.

Naresh Dhyani added that Kamal, who was his eldest son, was the sole breadwinner of the family.

"He was the sole earner of the family and my younger son is not working right now," he told IANS.

The deceased youth's brother also recounted the events of the fateful evening, saying he searched for his brother all through the night.

"In the morning, when I was calling my brother, the police received a call that a body and a bike were lying in an open pit and they informed us about the accident. When I reached the spot, I found his bag and then only I realised that my brother was the one who had died," he said in an emotional voice.

He further claimed that the family has not received any assurance so far from the political fraternity or officials.

"Till now, we have not received any information. They are not telling us anything. No one has come to meet us - no leaders, nothing," he added.

Residents also expressed concern over the safety lapses at the site where the 25-year-old biker lost his life in Janakpuri after falling into an open pit dug by the DJB.

Speaking to IANS, a local said, "Our house is just in front, in Janta Flats. We have to come here daily three to four times a day. There were no barricades on this side, only two on the other side. The green sheet you can see wasn't there earlier. Nothing was properly installed. There was no warning for anyone. The area remains dark, which is the biggest issue."

The incident occurred late on Thursday night when Kamal allegedly fell into the open pit at an ongoing DJB project site while returning home from work.

Kamal, a resident of Kailashpuri, had left his office in Rohini to celebrate his parents' wedding anniversary but he never made it back home to his waiting family.

According to Kamal's friend, he had spoken to him shortly before the incident and he said that he was just 15 minutes away from home.

However, when Kamal failed to return, his worried family launched a frantic search through the night with the help of police teams. Despite efforts to trace his location using mobile tower data and CCTV footage, no breakthrough was achieved for several hours.

The tragic discovery was made around 8 am on Friday, when a woman alerted the police about a body lying inside a pit in the area.

Police personnel rushed to the spot and found Kamal's body inside a nearly 15-foot-deep pit, with his motorcycle found toppled nearby.

Residents of the area have alleged gross negligence by the Delhi government's DJB at the project site, claiming that the pit was left uncovered, poorly barricaded, and unmarked, posing a serious danger to commuters, especially at night.

Locals also pointed to inadequate lighting in the area, saying the darkness makes it nearly impossible for riders to spot hazards on the road.

Meanwhile, the Delhi Police rejected allegations of inaction, stating that officers remained with the family throughout the night and made continuous efforts to trace Kamal's movements.

The incident has triggered widespread outrage and raised serious questions about safety norms at construction sites across the city.

Responding to the incident, Delhi PWD Minister Parvesh Verma termed the death "tragic" and announced strict action. He said suspensions would be carried out and a detailed probe ordered to fix responsibility.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)