Key post remains vacant in Delhi amid questions over biker's death in Janakpuri

Kamal Dhyani died on Thursday after falling into a 14-foot-deep construction pit dug by the Delhi Jal Board. Photo: PTI

• Biker, 25, dies after falling into uncovered pit in Janakpuri, West Delhi
• Vacant DM post and administrative delays cited amid CM and LG office tussle
• Police arrested two; main contractor still at large.

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As questions mount over administrative negligence in the national capital following the death of a 25-year-old biker who fell into an uncovered 14-foot-deep pit dug by the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) in West Delhi’s Janakpuri on February 6, sources said key administrative posts in Delhi have remained vacant amid an internal tussle.

The post of West Delhi district magistrate (DM) has remained vacant for weeks, even as the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) reshuffled 49 IAS and IPS officers in the first week of January.

Vandana Rao, a 2015-batch IAS officer, was the last DM of West Delhi. She was transferred to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands on January 4, according to an order issued by the MHA.

The delay in the appointment assumes significance in the backdrop of the death of a 25-year-old private bank employee in Delhi’s Janakpuri area. Kamal Dhyani died on Thursday after falling into a 14-foot-deep construction pit dug by the Delhi Jal Board. He reportedly remained trapped inside the pit for several hours without receiving assistance.

Tussle between CM and LG’s offices?

According to the MHA’s January order, at least 15 IAS officers were transferred to Delhi in the latest reshuffle.

However, most of them are yet to be assigned responsibilities due to “emerging differences” between the offices of Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena, a source aware of the matter told Moneycontrol on condition of anonymity.

The source said Gupta’s office has recommended several names for key administrative positions, but the proposals are yet to receive approval from the LG’s office, leaving senior IAS officers without postings.

In addition, the Delhi government officially relieved four IAS officers, including Rao, on January 31, further delaying fresh appointments. The MHA also transferred the district magistrates of Delhi’s North and Outer North districts to other states as part of the reshuffle. Delhi has 13 districts, each with three sub-divisions. At least nine sub-divisional heads—generally led by SDMs—have been moved out of the capital, with no update yet on their replacements.

Dhyani reportedly remained trapped inside the pit for several hours without receiving assistance. Photo: PTI

Moneycontrol has reached out to the offices of both Gupta and Saxena for comment. Responses are awaited and the story will be updated accordingly.

Political reactions

Separately, former Delhi minister and Aam Aadmi Party’s Delhi unit president Saurabh Bharadwaj questioned both the Delhi government and LG Saxena over the delay in appointing a DM for West Delhi.

“During the Noida techie death case, we had said that such issues fall under the responsibility of the DM. In Dhyani’s death as well, the DM is responsible for rescue operations as the head of the district disaster management authority. Yet, no one is raising questions about the DM’s role in either case,” Bharadwaj told Moneycontrol.

“As per my information, due to internal differences within the government, West Delhi currently has no DM. Because of this, there has been confusion among departments, especially after Dhyani’s death. The key question is: who is responsible?” he added.

Earlier, Bharadwaj had said in a post on X that the tragedy was “waiting to happen”. “Despite complaints, this death trap was not properly barricaded. Imagine the family and small children waiting all night for him to return home. They will now wait for him for the rest of their lives,” he wrote.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also commented on the incident, saying an “epidemic of greed and negligence” was plaguing India and had claimed yet another young life.

Moneycontrol sent detailed queries to BJP spokesperson Shehzaad Poonawalla and Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva. Poonawalla declined to comment. The story will be updated if and when a response is received.

Action taken so far

Days after Dhyani's death, the postmortem report has revealed disturbing details. According to News18, the victim's nose and mouth were clogged with mud after he fell into the pit.

The report states that Kamal’s motorcycle landed on his waist, restricting his breathing and leading to suffocation. The cause of death has been recorded as “traumatic asphyxia and suffocation,” News18 said citing sources.

Investigators noted that Kamal’s face was lodged in the mud following the fall, while the weight of the motorcycle further compressed his body, making it difficult for him to breathe. The mud obstructing his nose and mouth ultimately caused him to suffocate.

The victim’s family had earlier alleged that they received no information about Dhyani’s whereabouts despite approaching six police stations. They learnt about the incident only the next day, when a local official received a call on Dhyani’s mobile phone.

Police said they received information about the incident at 8:03 am the following day, after which a rescue team was dispatched and the victim was taken to hospital.

Delhi Police have arrested a 23-year-old labourer for failing to inform authorities despite allegedly finding Dhyani lying in the pit. A sub-contractor, Rajesh Prajapati, has also been arrested. Police are questioning security guards in the vicinity, while the main contractor is still absconding.