Guwahati: In a significant development following the tragic accident in Guwahati‘s Ganeshguri area, the Assam Police has now arrested a contractor related to the pit dug on the roadside.

Earlier on Friday, the director of AK Construction Company was also arrested.

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The arrests were made in response to an FIR filed by the Guwahati Metropolitan Drinking Water and Sewerage Board, which highlighted discrepancies in the company’s work and negligence in performing their duties.

Late on Friday night, the Assam Police apprehended Parijat Saikia, the contractor of AK Construction Company, from Soteea in Biswanath district.

Saikia was brought to the Dispur police station on Saturday morning to initiate further legal proceedings.

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The director of the construction company, identified as B Balaji, was also arrested on the same day from the company’s office located in the Narengi area of the city.

AK Construction Company, owned by M Venkateswara Rao, had been contracted for a water supply project at 12 different locations in Guwahati.

However, the Jal Board discovered numerous discrepancies in the company’s work, raising concerns about their competence and adherence to guidelines. Additionally, reports indicate that AK Construction Company had failed to obtain the necessary permissions from both the Transport Department and the Public Works Department.

The tragic accident in Ganeshguri claimed the life of a student on Thursday, prompting the Guwahati Metropolitan Drinking Water and Sewerage Board to file an FIR against AK Construction Company.

It was found that the company had neglected to fill potholes after completing their work and had failed to adequately cover manholes in the designated areas with slabs.

AK Construction Company is among the contractors entrusted with the responsibility of implementing the JICA-supported water supply project, which aims to install pipelines in Guwahati.

However, the recent incidents have raised serious concerns about the company’s ability to fulfil its obligations and adhere to safety protocols.

The accident took place, while the victim was on her way to her school in the Hatigaon area of Guwahati on a scooter along with her sister.

Soon after the accident took place, almost all were quick to blame the school bus driver for the accident that claimed the life of the young girl.

Many claimed that the school bus (AS-01-PC-7411) approached from behind and collided with the scooter, causing both occupants to fall onto the road.

Unfortunately, Priya Kumari, however, succumbed to her injuries almost immediately, before any medical assistance could be rendered.

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Locals expressed outrage, attributing the accident to the bus’s “high speed”.

However, CCTV footage from the area paints a different picture.

The footage put to rest claims of the bus being responsible for the accident.

The CCTV footage, in fact, shows that the school bus, involved in the accident, was not at a “high speed” as was claimed earlier.

In fact, the bus was cruising at a decent speed

Neither did the school bus change lane nor approached the scooter from behind.

It was the scooter that appeared from behind the school bus and tried to overtake it from the left side.

While the scooter tried to overtake the bus, a massive hole on the road, with dirt piled up around it, appeared suddenly before the scooter.

The rider of the scooter tried to negotiate with the hole but failed to do so and in the process lost control over the two-wheeler and fell.

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The victim – Priya Kumari – came beneath the bus and died after being overrun.