Karjat: The Khalapur police arrested three persons in connection with the death of two persons during the blasting of boulders at Panvel-Karjat railway work in Karjat on Friday evening. The blasting was carried out by the contractor appointed by the Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation.
Sanjay Shukla, Dy SP (Khalapur) said the police are searching for the contractor, Rohit Kad, who is absconding. “Three persons deputed at the blasting sites responsible for carrying out the work safely were arrested,” he said.
The suspects arrested on Monday have been identified as Pritam Dattatrey Thorat, Rajendra Kishan Khandare and Rajesh Kumar Kuldip Bhuia. They were presented before the court on Tuesday. All the three present at the site were in charge of ensuring safe blasting, police said.
Khalapur police booked the contractor, Rohit Kad, a resident of Pune and others.
Dy SP Shukla said regardless of the investigation’s outcome, the report will be submitted to the court. “We have received the remand of the three arrested persons till December 29,” he said.
On December 23 evening, a 34-year-old motorbike rider Sachin Mhadu Vadekar and his 65-year-old mother, Devaka Bai Mhadu Vadekar, who was a pillion rider, died after stones hit them while blasting was carried out by the contractor appointed by MRVC for laying the railway line on the Panvel-Karjat route.
The deceased were on their way home in Borwadi village in Karjat when the incident took place. Many small pieces of boulders hit them. While Devaka Bai died on the spot, Sachin died while being taken to hospital.
The Khalapur police registered a case against Kad and others under sections 286, 304, 337, 338 and 34 of IPC and Sections 3 and 6 of the Explosive Substances Act 1908.
Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation’s take
Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation officials said necessary guidelines were followed, the incident spot is nearly 200m away from the site where work is going on, and the matter is being investigated by the local police.
