Four Arrested Following Labourer’s Fatal Accident at Illegal Construction Site

 Cover-Up Attempt Unravels as Community Activists Alert Authorities

The Naigaon police have arrested four individuals, including a developer and contractor, in connection with the tragic death of 22-year-old labourer Ruksana Lahne, who died after a slab collapse at an illegal construction site in Kaman, Vasai East. The incident occurred on Friday, and the arrests were made three days later, following community intervention.

Immediately after the incident, the developer and contractor reportedly sent Lahne’s body to her village in Palghar for last rites without notifying the police or any authorities. They allegedly attempted to bribe her relatives to prevent them from raising concerns about the accident.

 A Community Response

The cover-up was thwarted when local social workers and members of the Shiv Sena alerted the Naigaon police. This prompted the police to register an FIR, leading to the arrests for destroying evidence, conducting unauthorized construction, and causing death due to negligence.

According to police reports, the accident occurred around 1:30 PM on Friday while labourers were having lunch at the unauthorized site in the Belkawadi area. A wall collapsed during this time, leading to Lahne's tragic death and injuries to three other workers.

 Investigative Developments

After the incident, the contractor and developer allegedly tried to intimidate and bribe the deceased’s family to suppress information. They also sent Lahne’s body for cremation without a post-mortem and reportedly removed CCTV cameras from a nearby property to destroy evidence.

Community leaders, including Nilesh Tendolkar, chief of the Palghar district Shiv Sena (Shinde group), urged police action, warning of agitation if no case was filed. Following this intervention, Naigaon police registered a case under various sections of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita.

Senior Police Inspector Ramesh Bhame confirmed, “We have arrested Dinesh Jain, 58, Nitish Jain, 33, Kannan Soni, 40, and Faraj Khan, 32. We are actively searching for Pradeep Gupta.”

As investigations continue, the community seeks justice for Ruksana Lahne and demands accountability for unsafe working conditions at construction sites.