Sanitation worker Angamma Devendra dies under Bobcat machine at Mumbai's Juhu beach

A 55-year-old contractual sanitation worker died on Friday morning after falling under a Bobcat beach-cleaning machine at Juhu beach in Mumbai. Following the incident, the Santacruz police registered a case against the machine's operator for causing death by negligence.

The victim was identified as Angamma Devendra, a resident of the Nehru Nagar area in Juhu. Both Devendra and the machine operator, 22-year-old Kaushik Hajra, worked for Pratisthan Sanstha. The private firm had been engaged by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to carry out cleaning operations at Juhu beach.

According to the police, the fatal accident occurred at around 10:00 AM. Devendra, along with five to six other sanitation workers, was sitting inside the bucket of the Bobcat machine while the vehicle was in motion.

The moving machine went into a pit on the sandy beach, causing Devendra to lose her balance. She fell from the bucket and was run over by the left wheel of the heavy machinery, sustaining critical injuries.

Co-workers and bystanders rushed Devendra to the Cooper Hospital in Vile Parle West. However, medical doctors at the hospital declared her brought dead upon arrival.

The Santacruz police have booked Hajra, who also resides in Juhu's Nehru Nagar, under Section 106(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which pertains to causing death by negligence, along with other applicable sections of the law.

During initial questioning by the police, Hajra claimed that he had instructed the deceased worker not to sit inside the bucket of the machine. He reportedly told officers that Devendra ignored his warning and remained seated in the bucket. The police stated that no arrest has been made yet.

Meanwhile, civic authorities have initiated an inquiry into the safety protocols of the private contractor. A BMC official stated that they will carry out a thorough investigation into the incident and will take strict action against Pratisthan Sanstha if the organisation is found to be at fault.