Mumbai: Contractor Arrested For Negligence Days After 7-Year-Old Dies By Falling In Open Construction Pit In Malad

Mumbai: Days after a seven-year-old boy, Divyansh Maurya, died by falling into a water-filled construction pit in Malad East, the Kurar police have arrested contractor Darshan Patel for negligence. Patel, 42, was remanded to judicial custody on Sunday, while site engineer Kishan remains at large. Both, along with other persons, face a case under Section 106(1) (causing death by rash and negligent act) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

The tragedy occurred at a Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) project managed by Mauli Sai Developers. The site, located near the victim’s house, had been under construction for several months with piling work underway. Investigation revealed the pit was left open without any barricading or safety precautions.

Residents reported that following the drowning, workers were seen hurriedly installing tin sheets around the previously exposed pit on Friday morning. The SRA issued a notice to the developers on March 20 regarding these safety lapses. Dinesh Mahajan, executive engineer at Malad, told The FPJ, “SRA is a planning authority and not an executing authority. The developer and the architect are fully responsible for implementing the project and ensuring safety. We issued a notice to the construction company regarding safety the very next day.”

The incident took place around 7 pm on March 19 while Divyansh was playing outside. CCTV footage shows the child attempting to retrieve his ball from the pit with a stick before losing his balance. His father, Rajesh Maurya, later discovered the boy’s legs protruding from the water. Divyansh was rushed to Shatabdi Hospital in Kandivali West but was declared dead on arrival. The area is surrounded by partially demolished slums and frequented by children playing in the bylanes. The site is located in a dead-end lane locally known as ‘Bhoot Galli’.

To get details on exclusive and budget-friendly property deals in Mumbai & surrounding regions, do visit: https://budgetproperties.in/