Tragic death of 14-year-old in Calcutta sparks outrage over construction safety | Kolkata News

KOLKATA: The person who was behind the wheel of the earthmoving machine that crushed 14-year-old Soumya Sil Bansdroni on Wednesday was arrested on Thursday, a day after the terrible tragedy that caused riots locally and a seven-hour standoff with police.
Accused Shambhu Kumar Ram (21) told police that he had no experience operating the machine. He was shown the ropes by a person identified as Mithuwho had convinced him to step in for the regular operator.
Shambhu was accused negligent homicide does not constitute murder (according to Section 105 BNS), which can result in a life sentence. Mithu has not been found yet, police said.
Shambhu, who was picked up in Dum Dum, told police officers that he was driving a “Hydra crane” which required a special license.
Driving a backhoe, the earthmoving machine that accidentally hit and killed the teenager, requires a completely different license. The accused said Mithu convinced him that he would help him learn how to operate and drive the earthmoving machine.
However, preliminary investigations show that Wednesday’s tragedy was entirely avoidable. No work was underway in Dinesh Nagar area, police and civic officials said. They said the site would only be used to park three earthmoving machines.
KMC officials said the KEIIP project in Dinesh Nagar was officially completed months ago, adding that there was no reason to station the machines there.
“Why was the machine in a lane and not in the garage?”
KMC said there was no reason to station the three earth movers at Dinesh Nagar in Bansdroni, where an accident involving one of them killed 14-year-old Soumya Sil on Wednesday.
The city administration has issued a citation notice to the construction company involved in a construction project Drainage improvement project In GaryBansdroni and Kudghat asked why the earth movers were stationed there.
“These machines should be parked in the garage and not on a narrow neighborhood street,” said a city administration official. “We also learned that the regular driver was not behind the wheel. If this is true, it is an act criminal negligenceand no accident that cost a young life.”
The total number of FIRs registered in the incident in which police officers were held hostage and suspected “outsiders” attacked and harassed locals has risen to five.
So far, five people have been arrested for assaulting police officers. A sixth person was arrested. Two people were questioned about assault and harassment.

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