A 14-year-old boy suffered multiple fractures after falling into an under-construction water tank at Taljai Vasahat near a biogas plant in Pune, prompting police to register a case against an L&T project manager and the contractor over alleged lapses in construction-site safety.
The incident occurred at about 6.30pm on October 13, shortly after Class VIII student Nikhil Nitin Sathe returned from school. He had gone out to play with his friend, Om Sachin Kasbe. According to the complaint filed by Nikhil’s mother, Om later reached the boy’s home and informed the family that Nikhil had fallen into the tank.
Nikhil’s mother, Manju Sathe, his grandmother and uncle went to the site and found him inside the under-construction tank. Local resident Uddhav Lahu Kamble alerted the fire brigade, whose personnel rescued the boy. Nikhil was subsequently admitted to Bharati Hospital for treatment.
The boy sustained fractures in both legs below the knees, along with injuries to his waist, abdomen and hand, according to the report. His mother alleged that the construction site did not have protective nets, warning boards or other essential safety measures to prevent people from entering or falling into the excavation.
Police have booked L&T project manager Manohar Meheta and the contractor concerned in connection with the incident. The report identifies the work as part of the Pune Municipal Corporation’s equal water supply scheme. The PMC water supply department was approached by the family at its Shivajinagar office on October 21, where they were informed that L&T had been awarded the contract for construction of the tank, according to the complaint.
The incident places attention on safety arrangements around civic infrastructure works carried out in active neighbourhoods. Water tanks, excavations and other construction structures can remain accessible to residents, particularly children, when sites are located close to homes or informal play areas. The allegations in the complaint concern the absence of basic physical barriers and warning systems, although responsibility will be determined through the police investigation and subsequent legal process.
The case also raises questions about how municipal agencies and contractors monitor safety conditions at worksites under large public infrastructure schemes. The supplied report does not specify whether the PMC or the contractor had conducted a prior safety inspection, whether the site had been officially barricaded, or what action has been taken beyond registration of the police case. Further details are expected from the investigation.
