3 Deaths at Aatman Grandeur Spark Outrage: Did Sola Police Protect Builders by Avoiding an FIR?

The Sola High Court Police are facing intense scrutiny over their handling of a tragic workplace incident after registering only an Accidental Death (AD) case instead of launching a criminal negligence investigation into the electrocution of three migrant construction labourers. The immediate classification of the fatalities as an accident—despite the incident occurring at an active commercial construction site—has triggered allegations that authorities are moving swiftly to shield the influential builders behind the luxury residential project from criminal liability.

The incident occurred on June 25 at the under-construction Aatman Grandeur project, located opposite Maruti Multispeciality Hospital in the Sola area. Three young labourers from Rajasthan were killed instantly when the basement area where they were working became a death trap.

The victims have been identified as:

• Shiva Manilal Bamaniya (21), of Pachoda village, Banswara district, Rajasthan.

• Vikesh Maniya Pargi, of Dhodiya Shergath village, Banswara district, Rajasthan.

• Rahul Laxman Bamaniya, of Chadiyala village, Dungarpur district, Rajasthan.

A Predictable Hazard, a Passive Response

According to preliminary site reports, the three men were working in the building's basement on an iron scaffolding platform. A fatal electric current allegedly passed through the metal structure after a live, uninsulated wire came into contact with the scaffolding. Emergency services rushed the workers to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared all three dead on arrival.

Standard procedure in fatal industrial and construction accidents typically involves the immediate registration of an FIR under sections relating to causing death by negligence or other applicable offences. Instead, the Sola High Court Police registered an Accidental Death entry—a procedural move that delays arrests, leaves site management uncharged, and stalls formal criminal proceedings.

The Contrast of 'Influential' Backing

Local sources and labour advocates allege that the Aatman Grandeur project is backed by influential real estate investors and claim that administrative pressure was exerted on the police to dilute the initial legal action.

This handling stands in stark contrast to Ahmedabad's response to a similar fatal construction accident near Panjrapol in 2022 at the Adore Aspire project. In that case:

• Police immediately registered serious criminal offences.

• The builder was arrested.

• The construction site was sealed.

The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) permanently cancelled the project's building permissions over safety violations.

Questions Demanding Answers

The stark difference between the 2022 enforcement and the present handling of the Sola incident has prompted demands for transparency. Investigators are examining whether mandatory electrical safety measures, workplace protection norms, and labour safety regulations were violated.

While Sola High Court Police officials maintain that their inquiry is ongoing and that any additional charges will depend on post-mortem and forensic findings, critics argue that the initial decision to register only an Accidental Death case has already undermined public confidence in the fairness of the investigation.