Hoarding frame collapse: Pune police arrest 2 railway officials

A day after a hoarding frame collapse killed four and injured seven, the Pune police arrested two central railways (CR) employees for neglect that led to casualties.

The Bund Garden police arrested central railways junior engineer Sanjaysingh Vishnudev Singh and his assistant Pandurang Vanale for neglecting safety of people while removing the hoarding frame. Four persons were killed while seven others injured when a 40-foot metal hoarding frame put up at the railway department’s land collapsed when it was being cut.

M Mujawar, police inspector at Bund Garden police station, said, “We have arrested one Sanjay Singh, a junior engineer of the central railways and his assistant, identified as Pandurang Wanare, who works as a ‘lohar’ (blacksmith) in the railway department in connection with the Friday’s incident. They have been arrested under the IPC Section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder).”

The arrested railway officials were sent to police custody till October 11. While seeking custody, the prosecution told judicial magistrate first class that police are required to arrest other booked persons. On Friday, a case was registered against the railway officials, contractor and his workers who had been given the responsibility to dismantle the structure. While the police have been arrested the railway officials, the contractors are still absconding with the police department carrying out search operations.

Reacting to the arrests made by the Pune police, Sunil Udasi, chief public relations officer (PRO) of railways said, “We extend our complete cooperation to the Pune police department in this case.”

The frame of a billboard 40-foot in height collapsed onto the Shahir Amar Shaikh chowk on Friday afternoon at Junna Bazaar, killing four persons and seriously injuring six. The frame, installed on the land belonging to the Pune railway department, was being removed when the incident happened. Ten vehicles, including at least six autorickshaws, a car and three two-wheelers were crushed, as the frame fell onto vehicles that had stopped at a red light at the chowk.

The deceased were identified as Shamrao Kasar (70), Shamrao Dhotre (48), Shivaji Pardeshi (40) and Javed Khan (40). On late Friday night, a case was registered against the railway officials, contractor and his workers who had been given the responsibility to dismantle the structure.