Pune: Two workers died after falling into a duct near Lokmanya Hospital in Nigdi-Pradhikaran area of Pimpri-Chinchwad, late on Wednesday night. The incident occurred at the same duct where three workers died last year, raising fresh questions over safety at the site. The latest incident was reported around 11.45 pm on Aug 26. Police and fire brigade teams reached the spot after receiving information that two people had fallen into the duct.
The Pimpri-Chinchwad fire brigade rescued both men and handed them over to police. They were taken to YCM Hospital, where doctors declared them dead. The deceased have been identified as Manoj Baburao Shinde, 26, and Amol Ashok Shinde, 19. Both were from Siddheshwar village in Aundha tehsil of Hingoli district. Police have started an investigation into why the two men had entered the duct and who had assigned them the work.
Police probe work assignment and safety
Senior Police Inspector Mahesh Bansode of Nigdi Police Station said police were trying to establish the circumstances that led to the incident.
“We are probing why those individuals had come there and who had assigned them the work,” Bansode said.
Police will question BSNL employees and other people connected with the work, he said.
The exact cause of death has not yet been established. Police are investigating the matter and will take further action based on their findings.
The latest incident has also brought the safety of the duct under renewed scrutiny because of the deaths at the same location last year.
Three workers died at same duct in 2025
On Aug 15, 2025, three workers died after entering the same duct.
Police had then suspected suffocation as the cause of death. A case of culpable homicide was registered at Nigdi Police Station in connection with the incident.
With the latest deaths, five people have now died in the same duct in two separate incidents within about a year, according to police.
The earlier incident had raised questions about safety measures for workers entering underground chambers and ducts.
Fire brigade rescued both workers
A Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation fire department official said the fire brigade received the call through the Pradhikaran fire station after Nigdi Police alerted them.
A fire brigade vehicle and crew reached the spot. Police explained the situation to the team, following which a search-and-rescue operation was launched.
There were two people inside the duct.
Fire brigade personnel managed to remove one of them quickly. It took longer to remove the second person.
Both men were unconscious when they were brought out of the duct. They were handed over to police and later taken for medical treatment.
The fire department was subsequently informed that both had died.
BSNL connection under investigation
The duct is associated with BSNL. However, police have not yet established the exact nature of the work the two men were carrying out or whether they had been officially assigned the work.
Bansode said BSNL employees and other concerned people would be questioned as part of the investigation.
Police are also collecting details about the two deceased men, including information about their relatives and friends.
The investigation will focus on why the workers entered the duct, who sent them there and whether proper safety measures were in place.
Fresh questions after repeat deaths
The repeat deaths have brought the 2025 incident back into focus.
The three workers who died last year had reportedly become unconscious after entering the underground duct. The incident led to a culpable homicide case and raised concerns about the dangers of working inside closed underground chambers.
The deaths of Manoj Shinde and Amol Shinde at the same location have now renewed concerns over whether adequate safety measures were put in place after the earlier tragedy.
Police said they would take appropriate action after completing the investigation.
