New Delhi [India], February 6 : Family members of Kamal Dhyani, who died after allegedly falling into an uncovered pit dug by the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) in Janakpuri on Friday, expressed grief and blamed administrative negligence and police inaction, claiming that timely intervention could have saved him.
Speaking to ANI, family members demanded 'justice' amid the heartbreaking loss. According to Dhyani's older brother, Mayank Dhyani, the victim had spoken to him just moments before the accident.
"He was working a night shift in Rohini. He was on his way back. I spoke to him when he had reached Janakpuri. He told me he had reached Janakpuri and would reach home in 10 minutes. He fell in that pit dug by the Delhi Jal Board... We tried to find him the whole night... The Police didn't take effective action. He could have been saved... His phone was on. Our calls were going through. Around 9.30 am, a civilian picked up the call, told us that an accident had occurred, and gave us the location," he told ANI.
The family's ordeal extended through the night, with frantic searches yielding no results until the next morning. Dhyani's mother, Shanti Dhyani, expressed her heartbreak over the loss, highlighting the emotional toll.
"My son had gone to find him. But couldn't. Even the Police couldn't find him. Then someone picked up his phone in the morning and told us he had fallen into a pit. He told me yesterday that I have the next day off, so we will celebrate your anniversary. He had bought things for the celebrations, but never came back. All we want is justice," she said.
The father of the deceased, Naresh Chand, directly pointed fingers at the authorities for the oversight. He stated, "It is the Delhi Jal Board's and the Administration's mistake. Until a few days ago, there was no pit at the spot."
The tragic incident occurred when Kamal Dhyani, a resident of Janakpuri, was riding his motorcycle home. Police confirmed the identification of the deceased.
Dhyani's brother claimed that the family did not recieve any help even after visiting six police stations and received the information only after calling him on his phone in the morning, which was received by an official to extend the news of his death.
Dhyani's friend condemned the police response, alleging that the urgency of the situation was ignored and that authorities failed to track the exact location of Kamal's mobile phone during the search, which contributed to the fatality. He further questioned how his phone could not be tracked last night.
Delhi Police have registered an FIR against a contractor and concerned officials of the Delhi Jal Board under the BNS Section at PS Janakpuri. The authorities confirmed that the investigation is being carried out on a priority basis and assured that strict legal action would be taken against the guilty parties in accordance with the law.
Following the incident, Delhi Urban Development Minister Ashish Sood is scheduled to inspect the site on February 7. In a statement, the Delhi government said it has taken cognisance of the death and assured strict action against those responsible.