Contractor & house owner charged for causing labourer’s death due to negligence in Sector 2

On June 19, a labourer died a horrible death on 23rd Cross off 24th Main in Sector 2, HSR Layout. The incident occurred at an under construction building around 12.40pm and the police complaint was lodged the same day at 4.30pm.

The building was coming up on plot number 275. On June 19, at around 9am, building contractor Gopi took 22-year-old labourer Maruthi to Venkatesh, the house owner. The proprietor apparently asked Maruthi to do the plastering work on the fourth floor along with Maruthi’s elder brother Gangareddy and younger brother Anjaneya.

However, Anjaneya fell from the fourth floor while plastering and was immediately rushed to NH Narayana Hospital in Sector 3 for emergency treatment. However, the injury was too grievous and the labourer died.

A case of death by negligence is registered against Venkatesh and Gopi as no helmet or safety belt was provided to the labourers for the plastering work during the construction. And neither was a net used to protect accidental falls. This showed callousness on the part of the building contractor and house owner, according to complainant Maruthi. For this offence, if convicted, the accused could be in jail for two years or with fine or both.

This is a serious issue as many building constructions in residential areas don’t follow these safety parameters. Only when someone dies do we wake up to realise the wrongs we have done and snuffed out the lives of innocents. It’s time all the house owners and building contractors ensured that all safety precautions are taken while a structure is being erected.