Yamini C S | Edited by Poulomi Ghosh
Telecom giant Airtel is facing a criminal case in Karnataka’s Mangaluru for digging a pit without permission and failing to close it after its work was finished. Mangaluru city’s civic body, the MCC – Mangaluru City Corporation – filed the case on Tuesday after a woman fell into the pit and sustained injuries.
Airtel is accused of negligence after it dug open a part of the sidewalk in Mangaluru’s Ambedkar circle to repair underground cables. The company had not taken prior permission from the civic body, nor did it take any precautionary measures to alert residents, a circular issued by the MCC said. Moreover, it is facing the charge after a woman fell into the pit and got injured as it failed to close the pit even after the repair work was done.
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Hindustan Times could not immediately ascertain the identity of the woman or her present condition. The circular issued by the MCC was shared online by a Twitter account called ‘Hate Detector’, which also shared pictures of the pit, where the woman is seen being lifted out by locals.
“Due to pit left open by civic agencies in Mangaluru an elderly woman suffered injuries when she fell into it. Locals spotted the women and rescued her. The pit is said to have been left open and unfinished for a month now. Incident happened near Ambedkar circle,” the Twitter user wrote.
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“Mangaluru City Corporation files criminal case against Airtel for negligence after a woman falls into pit dug up by it without permission,” it later updated.
Airtel has not yet responded to the allegation. Meanwhile, further investigation is underway and more details are awaited.
