The Delhi Police on Saturday arrested subcontractor Rajesh Prajapati in connection with the death of 25-year-old Kamal Dhyani, who died after falling into an uncovered pit while riding his motorcycle in west Delhi’s Janakpuri on February 5, as mounting evidence pointed to serious safety lapses at the road work site.
The arrest comes a day after multiple officers were suspended and an FIR flagged the absence of barricades, warning signs, reflectors and lighting at the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) project site where the accident took place. The case has triggered public anger and political sparring over accountability for hazardous construction practices in residential areas.
The victim, Kamal Dhyani, was returning home late Thursday night when he allegedly rode into an open pit at an ongoing Delhi Jal Board (DJB) project site near the B3B Block in Janakpuri. He was found dead inside the pit on Friday morning.
Residents living near the site said the area was poorly secured and dangerously dark. “Our house is just in front, in Janta Flats. We have to come here 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,” a local resident told news agency IANS.
Kamal, a resident of Kailashpuri, had left his office in Rohini to celebrate his parents’ wedding anniversary but never reached home. According to his friend, he had spoken to Kamal shortly before the incident and was told he was just 15 minutes away.
How the incident unfolded
When Kamal failed to return, his family alerted the police and launched a night-long search. Police teams attempted to trace his movements using mobile tower data and CCTV footage, but no breakthrough was achieved for several hours.
The search ended 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 lying nearby.
According to the FIR, the pit, which was dug in the middle of a public road as part of road work, had no warning signs, reflectors, barricades or proper lighting. No security guard had been deployed at the site. The FIR also notes that the pit measured about 20 feet in length, 13 feet in width and around 14 feet in depth.
Kamal was pulled out of the pit with the help of the fire brigade and taken to Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital in a PCR vehicle, where doctors declared him brought dead.
Government response and suspensions
Delhi Home Minister Ashish Sood, who visited the site on Saturday, said all officers responsible for the incident had been suspended and that no one would be spared.
“All the departments conducted a joint inspection. We have directed the departments, and I am here to ensure that the road runs smoothly with minimum inconvenience to the public. All the officers responsible for the incident have been suspended. The police have also registered an FIR, and an investigation is underway. We will not spare anyone responsible. We want to tell the public that if an incident occurred despite all our efforts, we are also hurt, and the Chief Minister is monitoring the situation,” Sood told ANI.
Earlier, Delhi PWD Minister Parvesh Verma had termed the death “tragic” and announced strict action, including suspensions and a detailed probe to fix responsibility.
Political blame game intensifies
The incident has also triggered a political row, with the Aam Aadmi Party accusing the police and the BJP-led Delhi government of attempting to shift blame onto the victim.
AAP Delhi president Saurabh Bharadwaj demanded the suspension of Police Commissioner Satish Golchha, alleging a cover-up. “The police and the Delhi BJP government made every effort yesterday to place the blame for Kamal Dhyani’s death on Kamal Dhyani himself. They wanted to show that there was barricading everywhere,” Bharadwaj said.
He also questioned why Kamal’s phone location, which he claimed was known to the police, was not shared earlier. “If they had shared it at night, he could have been saved. The police have not made the CCTV footage of the incident public,” he added.
Family, friends question safety claims
Kamal’s friend Altaf Alam, speaking to ANI, rejected official claims about barricading at the site. “The way was open; they covered it yesterday to hide their misdeeds. Delhi PWD Minister Parvesh Verma said that barricades have been installed every 100 metres. They are showing us sympathy. All arrangements were made to celebrate the anniversary of his parents,” he said.
Local residents echoed these concerns, alleging gross negligence at the DJB worksite and warning that poorly marked construction zones pose a serious risk to commuters, especially at night.
Questions over construction safety norms
The death has renewed scrutiny of safety practices at road and utility works across Delhi, particularly in residential areas with poor lighting. Residents and family members have demanded accountability, saying preventable lapses continue to claim lives unless stricter enforcement is ensured.
Delhi Police have rejected allegations of inaction, stating that officers remained with the family through the night and made continuous efforts to trace Kamal’s movements. An investigation is ongoing.