Delhi repeat in Kerala: Biker dies after falling into open pit, govt orders probe

A 27-year-old man was killed after allegedly falling into an uncovered roadside pit near Thodupuzha in Kerala’s Idukki district, police said on Tuesday, 17 February, in yet another fatal accident linked to unguarded civic works.

The victim, Jeys Benny of Muthalakkodam, met with the accident late on Monday night when his two-wheeler reportedly plunged into a large excavation dug along the roadside as part of ongoing construction work, officials said. He was rushed to a nearby hospital but succumbed to his injuries.

Television channels aired CCTV footage purportedly showing the motorcycle hurtling into the open pit, underscoring concerns over the absence of visible safety precautions at the site.

The incident sparked angry protests from local residents, who alleged that the pit had remained open for over a month without basic safeguards such as barricades, reflectors or warning signage. They accused the authorities of gross negligence.

Amid mounting outrage, Kerala Public Works Department (PWD) minister Mohammed Riyas ordered an inquiry into the incident. He said the department’s deputy chief engineer had been tasked with conducting a probe and would recommend further action after submitting a report.

"Stringent measures will be taken if the negligence happened from the side of the public works department," Riyas said.

Residents staged a demonstration at the accident site, while workers of the Opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) also protested outside the local PWD office, demanding accountability and action against those responsible.

This tragedy comes against the backdrop of a series of similar roadwork-linked deaths that have sparked national outrage. In west Delhi’s Janakpuri area, 25-year-old Kamal Dhyani died on the intervening night of 5 and 6 February after his motorcycle fell into an unguarded, deep construction pit late at night; he lay trapped in the trench for hours before his body was found the next morning, raising sharp criticism of civic safety and response delays.

And in Greater Noida’s Sector 150, 27-year-old software engineer Yuvraj Mehta drowned after his vehicle plunged into a water-filled pit near a construction site in mid-January. He struggled for more than an hour in freezing conditions before rescue efforts could reach him, fuelling widespread debate on infrastructure hazards and emergency preparedness.

These high-profile cases have intensified scrutiny on roadwork safety practices and prompted calls nationwide for stricter enforcement of barricading, lighting and warning protocols to prevent further loss of life.

With PTI inputs