Malakpet: How GHMC's negligence and young man's good deed ended in a tragedy

Hyderabad: Every time Liaqat Ali Khan aka Zahed was passing by the DGP prison-house, a big open hole in the middle of the road was making him restive.

The hole had been dug for over a month now. Several pedestrians got injured after falling into it. On Tuesday evening, Zahed, who worked at Sohail Hotel in Malakpet, had enough of the menace.

He decided to do something to save lives. He pulled a nearby 'no-parking' barricade and placed it in front of the hole. While he was doing what he could for the safety of the public, a speeding car came and hit him.

Zahed died on the spot on July 12 at around 07:30 pm. He was rushed to Osmania General Hospital but he was declared dead on arrival. A resident of Ghousia Masjid, Dabeerpura. Zahed is survived by his wife and two children.

"While several locals took up the issue with GHMC, no action has been taken. I have complained to the GHMC five times in the last month," said Amjed Ullah Khan, Spokesman Majlis Bachao Tehreek (MBT).

In addition to GHMC, Amjed said that he also reached out to traffic police and Chanderghat police as well. "No action was taken by anyone," he says.

Locals said the GHMC dug up the hole on the pretext of some ongoing electricity work. However, Amjed said that the hole has been dug (for trial) the big pit was dug as a trail pit for the construction of ROB from Sohail Hotel to Chandrayangutta via Saidabad, Santoshnagar, Hafez Baba Nagar, etc.

The accident occurred under the Chanderghat Police Station limits and no case has been registered so far. Zahed's family members haven't spoken to any media persons."Local Malakpet MLA Ahmed Balala and Minhaj Corporator (Akber Bagh Div) both from AIMIM are trying to defuse the situation by giving them some money from ROB Contractor," Amjed said.

He further alleged that Zahed's family is not speaking to the media or politicians out of fear. Amjed requested the Chanderghat police to book a case of criminal negligence of duty against the GHMC staff and an ex-gratia of Rs 10.0 lakhs with a government Job be announced to the victim's family as he died saving others.