12-year-old killed after concrete girder falls on him in Delhi

A 12-year-old boy tragically lost his life when a heavy concrete girder beam fell on him at a construction site of the Delhi-Dehradun Expressway in the Geeta Colony area of east Delhi, police said on Sunday.

The incident occurred on Friday afternoon, prompting the boy’s family members and neighbors to stage a protest at the site, demanding action against the contractors and the construction company involved, they added.

Authorities have registered a case under IPC sections 287 (negligent conduct with respect to machinery) and 304A (causing death by negligence) against the contractors.

“Preliminary inquiry revealed that the heavy slabs were kept in a haphazard manner and the space was also not guarded by the company,” a police officer stated.

The boy resided with his family, originally from Bangladesh, at Multani Mohalla near the construction site in Geeta Colony, according to police.

It is suspected that the boy might have been playing at the site when one of the girder beams slipped and fell on him, the officer noted.

Around 1:30 pm, police received a distress call regarding a boy lying under the beam near the Shani temple in the area, another officer mentioned.

A team was swiftly dispatched to the spot where the boy was found under the beam. A hydraulic crane was immediately summoned to lift the beam and extricate the boy, the officer informed.

Despite efforts, the boy was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital, police confirmed.

The body was then transferred to the Sabzi Mandi mortuary where an autopsy was conducted before being handed over to the family, authorities disclosed.

Following the tragedy, the boy’s family and neighbors staged a protest at the site, demanding accountability from the contractors and the construction company.

The protestors attempted to vandalise the site, but police intervened and assured proper action would be taken, an officer assured. (With inputs from PTI)