New Delhi, February 15 The family of a 25-year-old man who died after falling into a pit dug by the Delhi Jal Board held a protest on Sunday at the incident site in west Delhi's Janakpuri, demanding justice, compensation, and action against those responsible.
Kamal Dhyani, an employee at a bank, fell into a pit that was nearly 15 feet deep on the night of February 5 and 6. His family has alleged that there were no adequate safety measures or barriers around the excavation site.
"We are not offering opinions. This is our demand. A 25-year-old youth has lost his life, and the family must receive justice," said Kamal Dhyani's uncle, whose name is also Kamal Dhyani, while addressing the protesters.
He alleged negligence on the part of the authorities and stated that the deceased was the sole breadwinner of the family.
"He died due to the government's negligence. One dependent should be offered a government job, those responsible should be strictly punished, and the family should receive proper compensation as per regulations," he said.
Another protester, Renu Ghildiyal, stated that the family had not received any concrete assurances so far. "We only want justice for the boy. The administration must take responsibility for its mistake," she said.
Gopal Singh, a representative of a migrant organization from Uttarakhand, claimed that a timely response could have saved the youth's life. "If the police response and medical help had arrived on time, his life might have been saved. This is a case of gross negligence," he said.
Listing the demands, Singh stated, "Action should be taken against the construction agency and those officials responsible, adequate compensation should be announced, and one family member should be offered a government job. Until these demands are met, we will continue our indefinite protest."
He added that the agitation could be intensified if the government failed to respond. "If no representative comes to assure the family, we will decide on the next course of action," he said.
A senior police officer said that seven people were detained in connection with the protest and were later released. "Adequate police force has been deployed at the site to maintain law and order," the officer said, adding that the situation remained under control. The Delhi Police are monitoring the protest, he said.
Banners reading 'We will not remain silent' and 'Give justice to the son of the hills' were displayed during the protest.
