Delhi police on Sunday arrested a labourer in connection with the death of a 25-year-old biker who fell into an uncovered 15-foot-deep pit in west Delhi’s Janakpuri, an incident that has raised serious questions about accountability, delay, and silence at the accident site.

The labourer, identified as Yogesh (23), was employed by a sub-contractor already under arrest in the case.

Police said Yogesh was taken into custody for allegedly failing to inform the police or any emergency authority after the biker fell into the pit and for misleading the victim’s family when they came looking for him.

According to deputy commissioner of police (West) Darade Sharad Bhaskar, Yogesh was present at the spot when the accident took place and was among the first to know that a biker had fallen into the pit, which had been dug by the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) for a sewer-related project.

“Yogesh had informed the sub-contractor, Rajesh Kumar Prajapati, about the incident during the night but did not alert the police or any emergency agency. When the victim's family reached the spot later that night, searching for him, Yogesh misled them by claiming he had no knowledge,” the DCP said.

Police said Yogesh fled the area soon after. He was later arrested from Firozabad in Uttar Pradesh.

The arrest comes a day after police took Prajapati (47), the sub-contractor, into custody for allegedly failing to inform authorities despite knowing about the accident hours before the police were alerted.

A duty magistrate has granted one day of police custody for further investigation. Investigators said call detail records showed that Yogesh contacted Prajapati at around 12.22 am, after which the sub-contractor reached the site within 15 to 20 minutes.

Despite this, police were informed only around 8 am the next morning. By then, the biker had died.

Police said Yogesh had looked into the pit after being alerted by a security guard and had noticed a motorcycle with its headlight on and a human figure inside.

The victim, Kamal Dhyani, a resident of Kailashpuri and an employee of a private bank, was returning home when he fell into the nearly 15-foot-deep pit early Friday.

Police said the family spent the entire night searching for Kamal, checking hospitals, police stations and different areas, including the stretch near the ditch, but found no record of any accident.

Using mobile phone location data, the family and police later combed the Janakpuri area before locating the accident site after several hours.

An FIR has been registered at the Janakpuri Police Station under Section 105 (culpable homicide) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita against the sub-contractor and concerned DJB officials.

Police said Yogesh’s role is still being examined and further legal action will follow based on evidence. Teams are analysing CCTV footage and other technical inputs to piece together the sequence of events.

In administrative action following the incident, three DJB officials have been suspended.