Almost three years after a tragic incident in which a young girl drowned in a water pit at a private company’s premises in Pimpri Chinchwad, police have now registered a case against the contractor responsible for the site. Assistant Police Inspector Rakesh Gumane lodged the FIR for the same at the Mahalunge MIDC police station on Thursday.
In July 2022, two-and-a-half-year-old Tapasi Sonu Siraswal fell into an unfenced water pit on the company’s property and died. This case follows her death. After the victim’s family recently pushed for formal action, voicing serious concerns about safety procedures at active work sites, the FIR was filed under charges of negligence causing death.
Details About The Incident
Tapasi Sonu Siraswal, a two-and-a-half-year-old girl who lived on the premises of Bindra Industries in Nighoje village, Pune. Her father, a watchman at the company, had brought her along that day. In a matter of seconds, Tapasi slipped and fell into the deep, water-filled pit on July 17, 2022. She drowned before any help could arrive.
The police report filed at the Mahalunge MIDC police station stated that Vishal Sonawane overlooked the required safety protocols. The pit was left unfenced, despite being on an active work site.
Police’s Statement On The Matter
The case has been registered under Section 304(a) of the Indian Penal Code, which deals with causing death due to negligence. “The child was playing near the pit when she slipped and drowned in the accumulated water,” said police officials. The Pimpri Chinchwad police initially treated the incident as accidental and launched an investigation.
Senior Police Inspector Nitin Gite confirmed that the girl’s parents had initially chosen not to pursue a formal complaint. “But they filed a complaint recently. So an FIR has been registered based on the findings of an inquiry into this incident,” he explained.
The case highlights concerns about safety regulations on private company premises, especially where construction work is taking place. Safety must be ensured and maintained in these active work sites. Cases such as Tapasi’s need to be brought to light to bring justice to those who are wronged and never truly accounted for.
