A 74-year-old retired bank manager died after falling from the 14th floor in Faridabad’s Sector 88 on Tuesday morning when a portion of a rusted skywalk beneath him collapsed, the Times of India reported. The deceased, Khulwant Singh, was watering plants on an iron bridge connecting towers 8 and 9 of the RPS Savana Residential Complex when the slab broke. Singh fell and died after falling face down, the police said.
Khulwant Singh was a resident of Himachal Pradesh and was living in the society with his son Harshit, an IT engineer, daughter-in-law, and grandchildren after his wife passed away. His two daughters live abroad. The police have taken the body into custody and sent it for a post-mortem.
The skywalk was initially built as a fire escape, but residents had turned it into a makeshift garden. Arvind, SHO of BPTP police station, said that the iron structure was badly damaged due to watering of plants and rains over the years, which reduced its strength. The iron frame and tile blocks of the bridge had rusted, especially under the pots.
Khulwant Singh’s family has filed a police complaint and alleged gross negligence on the part of the Residents Welfare Committee (RWA). SHO Arvind said that they are investigating all aspects, including the RWA’s lapses in structural maintenance. Residents also blamed poor construction quality and negligence. A resident said that they complained to the developer several times about the quality of the building, but no action was taken.
RWA’s Response
An RWA member lamented that residents were also warned earlier not to keep things on the bridge so that the emergency route remains clear. He said, “It is a sad incident, but we had repeatedly said not to turn the skywalk into a garden.”
The police are scheduled to question RWA officials and conduct security checks of other structures in the society, reports the Times of India.
Also Read: Chhattisgarh Shocker: Couple Killed Disabled Man In Raipur; Body Found In Cement-Sealed Trunk
