A construction worker died and three others were injured at the ISRO Telemetry Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC) premises in Bengaluru’s Peenya industrial area on April 8. The accident occurred when a retaining wall collapsed while the workers were engaged in plasterwork in a building that was under construction. The deceased has been identified as Yankappa, while the injured workers are Parashiva, Ramakrishna, and Rangappa.
Lack of safety and negligence on the part of the contractor who had hired the workers has been cited as the reason for the accident. According to the First Information Report (FIR) filed based on a statement by Yankappa’s son Manjunath, when the retaining wall collapsed, the four workers were trapped under the debris and sustained injuries. The complaint stated that despite the efforts of Manjunath, who was also working in the same construction site, and supervisor Praveen Kumar, Yankappa could not be saved and was declared dead upon arrival at the hospital. Parashiva, Ramakrishna, and Rangappa were admitted to the hospital for medical treatment.
Speaking to TNM, Manjunath alleged that the incident occurred due to poor quality construction and lack of proper safety equipment for the workers such as helmets, indicating negligence and irresponsibility on the part of contractor Madhusudhan and supervisor Praveen Kumar. He further stated that another contractor has been in touch with his family regarding compensation with regard to his father’s death.
The police have booked Madhusudhan and Praveen under sections 338 (Causing grievous hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) and 304a (Causing death by negligence) of the Indian Penal Code.
“The three workers who were injured have been discharged from the hospital and a probe is on,” a police officer told TNM.