‘Murder… not accident’: Rahul Gandhi, Kejriwal attack Delhi Govt after biker falls into pit dug by DJB, dies

Water Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh and Urban Development Minister Ashish Sood, who is also the Janakpuri MLA, rushed to the spot to inspect the site soon after the incident. The Delhi government announced an ex gratia payment of Rs 10 lakh to the victim’s family and ordered a probe. The DJB suspended three officials for their alleged role.

Even as there was no public statement from Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, a senior Delhi government official said the minister concerned had responded and taken action. “He is also closely monitoring the probe,” the official said.

Kejriwal, however, in a post on X accused the BJP of apathy and referred to the death of a Noida-based engineer, Yuvraj Mehta, last month after falling into a water-filled pit dug for the construction of a building in the city’s Sector 150. “This is not an accident, but murder. The BJP has learned nothing even from the Noida incident. Extreme negligence and an utterly irresponsible attitude have now become the hallmark of BJP governments, and it is the common people who are paying the price,” wrote Kejriwal, adding, “May God give strength to the family which lost their child due to the government’s negligence.”

Rahul Gandhi also targeted the government. “The epidemic of greed and negligence plaguing India has claimed another young life today. A son, a dream, the entire world of his parents — all shattered in an instant. This is not an accident. It is murder. The killer is the government that runs away from accountability. The real culprit is not the road, but the irresponsible authority. Because here, no resignations happen, no punishments are meted out and no one’s conscience awakens,” the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha said.

Referring to other recent incidents, he stated, “Indore’s poisoned water, the road in Noida that took Yuvraj’s life, collapsing bridges, colliding trains, suffocating pollution…. #TINA. There Is No Accountability. Until there is accountability, one after another will continue to fall victim to the epidemic of greed.”

Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee president Devender Yadav termed the incident a case of “administrative negligence” and demanded Rs 1 crore as compensation for the family.

On the other hand, AAP’s Delhi unit president Saurabh Bharadwaj shared pictures of the site and accused Janakpuri MLA Sood of reaching the spot only to “make excuses”. “At such a moment, he should have said an impartial inquiry would be conducted. Instead, he said he had already conducted an inquiry himself,” Bharadwaj claimed.

Meanwhile, after inspecting the site, Sood said a circular had been issued and that the district magistrate, sub-divisional magistrate, Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic), senior PWD officials and others would jointly inspect the site and issue necessary directions. “No one will be spared,” he said, adding that action would be taken against officials found responsible.

Officials said that re-laying of the sewer line network and repairing of the service road started a couple of months ago. The pit was dug on Wednesday, said an official.