GURUGRAM: A 19-year-old construction worker died on Friday afternoon after falling from the 19th floor of an under-construction building at an M3M Smart World project in Sector 113, police said. His co-worker survived after grabbing an exposed iron rod on a lower floor.
The deceased was identified as Dilkhush, a resident of Katihar in Bihar. The injured worker, Vasudev, 29, from Jalpaiguri in West Bengal, suffered a fracture to his hand and was taken to hospital. Police and workers at the site said the two were working on the 19th floor of a building being constructed by VCL Constructions when they slipped. Dilkhush hit the ground and died on the spot. Vasudev, falling after him, clung to a rod until other labourers pulled him to safety.
Workers confront contractor; police open inquest
News of the death spread through the project site and triggered anger among labourers. Workers confronted the contractor, Saddam, accusing the agency of failing to provide adequate safety gear for those working at height. The confrontation turned into a scuffle. An emergency response vehicle sent to the site had a window smashed during the commotion. Bajghera police arrived with additional force and brought the situation under control.
Inspector Sunil Kumar, SHO of Bajghera police station, said the fall appeared to be an accident and that no complaint alleging negligence had been received from Dilkhush's family. Police therefore began inquest proceedings under Section 194 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita. The contractor also did not file a complaint over the alleged assault, police said. No FIR for negligence or assault had been registered as of Saturday evening.
Company officials described the incident as a slip in preliminary remarks, while workers maintained that height safety standards were ignored. Police said they are examining what safety measures were in place at the time. Dilkhush's body was handed to kin after post-mortem. Further action will depend on the inquest findings and any formal complaints. Height work without harnesses remains a recurring hazard on Gurugram's fast-rising towers, and labour groups have long pressed for surprise safety audits on large private sites.
Labour contractors across Sector 106 to 113 corridors say height-work audits have been uneven even when project marketing bills safety gear as standard. Families of migrant workers often hesitate to file negligence complaints while they are still negotiating the return of the body and unpaid wages. Bajghera police said further steps will follow the inquest and any formal complaint that may still be lodged.
