NEW DELHI: A 56-year-old man drowned while trying to manoeuvre his vehicle out of the waterlogged railway underpass at Minto Road near Connaught Place on Sunday morning.
The deceased, Kundan, sat on the roof of the Tata Ace mini-truck to save himself, but the rising water level claimed his life. The vehicle is owned by his cousin, Pritam, who is currently engaged in transporting raw materials to various canteens of Delhi Police.
“We have been here since 1987, but this is the first time that I’ve known someone who has drowned in rainwater collected under the bridge. Kundan’s elder daughter’s wedding is scheduled for November. I hope the government offers some compensation as he was his family’s only earning member,” Pritam told TOI.
Kundan was from Pithoragarh in Uttarakhand and lived near the taxi stand at Shankar Market. He is survived by his wife and two daughters aged 21 and 13, who live with his parents in their native village. Pritam said his cousin would usually sleep in the vehicle as he had to begin work early. “The vehicle was being used to supply raw materials to various canteens of the police force. Even on Sunday, he was heading to work when he got trapped,” he added.
DCP (New Delhi) Eish Singhal said, “Kundan was coming from New Delhi Railway Station side and heading to Connaught Place when he got stuck under the bridge. He tried to manoeuvre his vehicle through the water, but couldn’t succeed. It seems he died of drowning. No external injury marks were present on his body. Inquest proceedings under CrPC Section 174 are under way.”
A railway trackman, Ramniwas Meena, spotted Kundan’s body around 10am while patrolling the tracks. “I spotted him floating near a bus submerged in the water and jumped in to save him. But he had passed away by the time I fished him out,” he said.
When TOI spoke to Kundan’s family members on Sunday night, they said they were handed over a cheque of Rs 10 lakh in the name of Munni Devi, the deceased’s wife, at the DM’s office.
In two other deaths reported from southeast Delhi, an eight-year-old boy died after slipping off a ghat in Jaitpur. In Sriniwaspuri, a 28-year-old man died after slipping in the water and hitting a hard surface.
In Video:Delhi: Dead body found near submerged bus under Minto Bridge
The deceased, Kundan, sat on the roof of the Tata Ace mini-truck to save himself, but the rising water level claimed his life. The vehicle is owned by his cousin, Pritam, who is currently engaged in transporting raw materials to various canteens of Delhi Police.
“We have been here since 1987, but this is the first time that I’ve known someone who has drowned in rainwater collected under the bridge. Kundan’s elder daughter’s wedding is scheduled for November. I hope the government offers some compensation as he was his family’s only earning member,” Pritam told TOI.
Kundan was from Pithoragarh in Uttarakhand and lived near the taxi stand at Shankar Market. He is survived by his wife and two daughters aged 21 and 13, who live with his parents in their native village. Pritam said his cousin would usually sleep in the vehicle as he had to begin work early. “The vehicle was being used to supply raw materials to various canteens of the police force. Even on Sunday, he was heading to work when he got trapped,” he added.
DCP (New Delhi) Eish Singhal said, “Kundan was coming from New Delhi Railway Station side and heading to Connaught Place when he got stuck under the bridge. He tried to manoeuvre his vehicle through the water, but couldn’t succeed. It seems he died of drowning. No external injury marks were present on his body. Inquest proceedings under CrPC Section 174 are under way.”
A railway trackman, Ramniwas Meena, spotted Kundan’s body around 10am while patrolling the tracks. “I spotted him floating near a bus submerged in the water and jumped in to save him. But he had passed away by the time I fished him out,” he said.
When TOI spoke to Kundan’s family members on Sunday night, they said they were handed over a cheque of Rs 10 lakh in the name of Munni Devi, the deceased’s wife, at the DM’s office.
In two other deaths reported from southeast Delhi, an eight-year-old boy died after slipping off a ghat in Jaitpur. In Sriniwaspuri, a 28-year-old man died after slipping in the water and hitting a hard surface.
In Video:Delhi: Dead body found near submerged bus under Minto Bridge
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