Man falls into pit, dies

Satinder Pal Singh

Dera Bassi, July 17

A 42-year-old man was killed after he fell into a 30-foot-deep pit, which was made for draining out rainwater, in the Dera Bassi main market this morning.

The deceased has been identified as Varinder Pal, alias Raju, a resident of Anaj Mandi, Dera Bassi. Sources said the deceased was mentally unstable.

Passersby informed the police after which Varinder Pal was pulled out of the pit and rushed to a hospital in Dera Bassi, where he was declared brought dead. A shopkeeper said Varinder Pal was seen near the main bazaar of Dera Bassi yesterday morning.

A relative of the deceased told the police that his uncle Varinder was mentally unstable for the past five years and was undergoing treatment at the PGI. He said his uncle left home yesterday morning and did not return. The family members came to know about the incident when someone informed them over the phone today. Varinder is suspected to have suffered a head injury due to fall and died.

Satinder Singh, SHO, Dera Bassi, said the police received information about a body lying in the pit in the morning.

He said investigation was underway to ascertain how Varinder fell into the pit despite the door being locked from outside. The deceased was married and had two daughters and a son.

Youth had slipped into same pit

Vivek (20) had died after he slipped into the same pit in November last year. Vivek, along with one of his associates, had come to buy a cigarette in the market. In the meantime, the victim went near the pit to answer nature’s call. He slipped into the 30-foot-deep storm water collection pit. The Municipal Council had installed barbed metal wires to dissuade people from going towards the pit and check accidents.