Pune: BSNL Contractor Arrested After Three Workers Die While Installing Optical Fibre in Nigdi
Nigdi, 21 August 2025: Pimpri Chinchwad police on Wednesday arrested Ramesh Patil, a contractor hired by BSNL, in connection with the deaths of three workers on August 15, allegedly due to suffocation while installing an optical fibre point in a cable duct at Nigdi Pradhikaran. Patil has been booked under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for culpable homicide not amounting to murder. The FIR also names “an unknown person” as a co-accused.
“Our investigation will examine whether any BSNL officials bear responsibility for this incident. If we find evidence, action will be taken against them,” said Senior Inspector Mahesh Bansode of Nigdi police station. The arrest follows a notice from the National Commission for Scheduled Castes on August 18, which had sought a report on the tragedy from the Pune district collector, Pimpri-Chinchwad police, the civic administration, and the BSNL chief manager within three days.
Bansode explained, “Patil was contracted to replace an optical fibre point for the installation of optical line terminating equipment (OLTE) in the duct. He was aware that the duct had been closed for several days.
Despite this, he allowed workers to enter without providing basic safety gear such as masks, gloves, or gumboots. Moreover, he employed daily-wage workers for the task instead of skilled technicians.”
Police said the arrest was based on spot panchanama, statements from four witnesses—including a surviving worker and two junior BSNL officers—and a technical analysis of call records related to the workers and others involved.
The deceased were identified as Lakhan Dhavare (32) and Sahebrao Girset (36) from Bijlinagar, and Datta Vhanale (38) from Gurudwara Colony, Pimpri-Chinchwad. According to Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial Hospital, post-mortem examinations have preserved viscera samples, and the final cause of death will be confirmed after chemical analysis.
Assistant Inspector Shriram Shinde said, “Patil has been working on BSNL projects since October 2022. Vhanale, one of the deceased, was employed on a commission basis to secure new optical fibre connection orders for Patil.”
A senior BSNL official, who requested anonymity, added, “Patil was working with a telecom infra provider (TIP) contracted by BSNL for installation and maintenance. He received a request for new connections in a local housing society and attempted to link the OLTE to the distribution network without following proper safety protocols.”
The police investigation continues, and authorities are reviewing whether further negligence by BSNL personnel contributed to the deaths.
