SIT blames 2 firms for pothole death

Bijendra Ahlawat
Tribune News Service
Faridabad, October 16

A special investigation team (SIT) headed by an ACP-rank officer has held two companies and its four officials responsible for the death of a three-year-old boy in a pothole-related accident on the national highway near the Bata crossing here in February 2014.

In the status report submitted in the local court through an affidavit, Balbir Singh ACP, Ballabgarh, has reported that the investigation had found the Directors and project managers of Larsen and Toubro (L&T) and DA Toll Road Private Limited responsible for the mishap, as the work of construction and maintenance of the highway on which the accident took place had been assigned to them. Rajesh Kumar, project manager, L&T, and Rajesh Kumar Madan, project manager, DA Toll Road Private Limited, have been named.

The report submitted under Section 173 of the CrPC mentions that the accused have been charged for causing grievous hurt by endangering life or personal safety and causing death due to negligence.

The SIT was set up in August after the police was pulled up by the High Court and was directed to submit its final report to fix the responsibility. The direction came in response to a civil writ petition filed by Manoj, father of the victim.

On February 10, 2014, three-year-old Pavitra died after the two-wheeler on which the family was riding fell into a pothole on the national highway near the Bata crossing here. While the child died on the spot, his mother Tina’s legs were crushed under another vehicle. The police had filed a closure report, saying it was a hit-and-run case. The next hearing is on December 6.