‘Came, saw, left’: Sub-contractor reached Janakpuri pit site within minutes, but didn’t alert authorities

Police say the sub-contractor visited the site after the accident but failed to alert authorities, as lapses in safety and delayed reporting turned an accident fatal.

• Sub-contractor arrested after biker dies in open pit in Janakpuri
• Victim trapped for over six hours before police were alerted
• Safety lapses found; no barricades or warning signs at excavation site

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Police have arrested a sub-contractor in connection with the death of a 25-year-old biker who fell into a 14-foot-deep excavation pit in Janakpuri, a case that has exposed multiple lapses in safety and a critical delay in reporting the accident.

The biker, Kamal Dhyani, fell into the open pit late at night. According to a report by Times of India, the sub-contractor visited the site after being informed of the accident by his labourer, saw the victim lying inside the pit, and left without alerting the police or arranging rescue. Kamal remained trapped in the pit for over six hours before police were finally informed the next morning.

The accused has been identified as Rajesh Kumar Prajapati, a resident of Tri Nagar. He told police he did not inform authorities because he was frightened.

Eyewitness account and early alerts

Deputy Commissioner of Police (West) Darade Sharad Bhaskar said police identified an eyewitness, Vipin Singh, who saw the motorcycle fall into the pit while returning home with his family in Sagarpur after attending a wedding in Rohini.

Vipin alerted a residential complex security guard, who then informed the contractor’s labourer, Yogesh.

Labourer missing, call records traced

According to the Times of India report, police are now searching for Yogesh, who called Prajapati after learning about the accident but took no steps to help the victim.

“When Yogesh saw the victim, the motorcycle’s headlight was still on. He informed his boss Prajapati at 12.22 am, which has been confirmed through call records. The sub-contractor reached the spot within 15–20 minutes from his home in Tri Nagar,” the DCP said, as cited by Times of India.

Police suspect Yogesh has fled to his hometown Etawah in Uttar Pradesh. Investigators have questioned the security guard and plan to question the main contractor who hired the sub-contractor.

PCR alert came hours later

Police were finally alerted around 8.03 am on Friday by a woman who was on her way to drop her son to school.

The Times of India spoke to the woman’s family, who said she noticed the motorcycle inside the pit around 8 am. Her husband said she initially informed a security guard, who ignored her.

“As more people gathered, she asked them to alert the police, but they made excuses — one even claimed he didn’t have balance on her phone,” he told Times of India. She then stayed at the spot and called the PCR herself.

Safety lapses and accountability

Police sources told Times of India that Prajapati made two to three calls on the night of the incident, and those he contacted will also be questioned. Prajapati told police he entered the construction field only after COVID.

“We have asked for documents from the Delhi Jal Board to verify for whom he was employed at the time of the incident,” a senior police officer told Times of India.

Investigators found that the pit had been dug on the afternoon of January 5, just hours before the accident. Another pit nearby had been dug earlier and was familiar to regular commuters, but this was a fresh excavation.

An on-site inspection showed that the Delhi Jal Board and its contractors failed to ensure basic safety measures during excavation, including barricading, warning signs, reflectors and lighting. Police said no security guard was deployed despite the known risk posed by open pits.