FIR against PWD officials, contractor after biker dies in open pit

Meerut: An FIR has been registered against officials of the public works department (PWD) and a contractor responsible for a culvert construction after a 42-year-old factory worker died when his bike plunged into an unbarricaded 5ft-deep pit on the Pilkhuwa-Fagauta road in Hapur district on Sunday night.Police said Vipendra Singh, a resident of Achpal Garhi village, was returning home from Pilkhuwa around 8pm when he failed to notice the excavation done earlier in the day for culvert construction. Residents claimed that no barricades, warning signs, reflective markers or other safety measures had been placed around the construction site despite poor visibility and darkness. “My father commuted daily on the same route. He failed to notice the pit as there was no signage or diversion,” said Vipendra’s son Neeraj Kumar.Vipendra was taken to Siddhivinayak Hospital and later referred to Rama Medical College, where doctors declared him dead. The incident sparked outrage among family members and villagers, who accused the contractor and PWD authorities of negligence and demanded strict action against them.Acting on their complaint, an FIR was registered under BNS section 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) against the director of the contractor company and unidentified PWD officials. “An investigation has been initiated to determine accountability and whether safety protocols were violated at the construction site,” said circle officer Anita Chauhan.