4 CCTV installation workers killed as truck rams crane, auto in late-night crash
Four workers died and two others were injured after a dumper crashed into a stationary crane and an auto-rickshaw carrying men engaged in installing CCTV cameras for the traffic police in southeast Delhi's Sarita Vihar early on Sunday, police and families said.
The victims were identified as 23-year-old Umesh, 35-year-old Praveen, 34-year-old Suraj and 26-year-old Anoop. The accident, which took place around 3:20 am, has raised questions over safety arrangements at the site, where road work was being carried out during the night.
Police are examining the circumstances in which the workers were deployed, the positioning of the crane and the auto-rickshaw, and whether proper precautions such as barricades, blinkers and warning signs were in place.
According to police, the workers were engaged in installing CCTV cameras for the traffic police. Relatives alleged that despite the work being conducted on a busy road at night, adequate safety arrangements were not visible at the site. The company had permission to carry out the work between 10 pm and 5 am, according to information available to the family.
Police said they are examining whether workers were provided the required safety equipment and added that the role, if any, of the company would be established during the investigation.
At the time of the accident, two workers were on the crane while others were near the auto-rickshaw. Worker Sudhir, who was present there, told police that those on the crane saw the dumper approaching and tried to alert their colleagues below.
Before they could reach them, the dumper crashed into the crane and then rammed into the auto-rickshaw. Several workers were critically injured and four later died during treatment, police said.
The dumper driver fled the spot after the crash but was later caught, police said. The vehicle has been seized. Investigators are examining CCTV footage, the dumper's route from Noida, its speed, the exact point of impact, and the positioning of the crane and the auto-rickshaw. Statements of injured workers and witnesses are also being recorded.
For Umesh's family, the night shift was an extra source of income. He had joined the CCTV installation company around six months ago after a friend suggested the job and was paid Rs 350 for a night's work.
During the day, he drove an auto to support his family, and the company also paid Rs 500 towards auto-rickshaw rental and CNG expenses, according to his family. On Saturday night, he left his Sangam Vihar home for work an hour earlier than usual. By the end of the shift, his family had received news of the crash.
His father Ramdas, a tailor, had seen him work hard in Delhi after the family moved from Rasulpur-Araura village in Uttar Pradesh's Kasganj. Umesh was the third of six brothers and is survived by his two sons, two-year-old Anoop and eight-month-old Harsh. His younger brother Devdutt said the family reached the spot after being informed and found Umesh's body trapped under the rear wheel of the dumper.
The family alleged that it took considerable time to remove the body and that a passing vehicle was eventually used to move the dumper slightly. Umesh's maternal uncle Pappu said a co-worker called around 4:30 am to inform them about the accident. "During the day he drove an auto and at night he went for the CCTV installation work. He was working to provide for his children," the family said.
Praveen's family said three cousins from the same family were involved in the work that night. Praveen, Anoop and 20-year-old Akash alias Tushar were all at the site. Praveen and Anoop died, while Akash remains in hospital with serious injuries.
Praveen had been working for the company for around seven years and had worked on several projects, according to his family. He was the sole earning member of his household and had two children. His elder brother Brajesh said Praveen had also brought Anoop and Akash into the company.
"Three members of the same family were there. Two are gone and one is fighting for his life," the family said.
The third family hit by the crash was that of Suraj, an HR and administration manager with the company. Originally from Mukteshwar in Uttarakhand, Suraj lived in a rented house in Munirka village with his wife Ganga and their two children, while his elderly parents stayed in their native village.
Relative Rajendra said Suraj had moved to Delhi because he wanted better educational opportunities for his children. He was the sole earning member of his family, relatives said, and his death has left them facing uncertainty over the children's education, household expenses and their future in Delhi.
For the families, the case is now about more than the reconstruction of the crash. They are seeking answers over the safety measures at the site, even as police continue their investigation. What began as a night shift to earn a few hundred rupees ended with four deaths, one worker battling serious injuries, and families left to cope with an irreversible loss.- EndsPublished By: India Today Web Desk Published On: Sep 21, 2026 08:42 IST
