Galaxy Mall Accident: Victims' Families Cry Foul Over Negligence

In a tragic incident that shattered two families, Shakeel and Harendra Bhati lost their lives when an iron grille from the fifth floor of the Galaxy Blue Sapphire Plaza Mall in Greater Noida West plummeted to the ground on March 3. The two men were merely walking towards an escalator at the galaxy mall when the incident occurred. Covered in blood, they were quickly transported to a nearby hospital. However, upon arrival, both men were pronounced dead.

Even more shocking than the accident itself is the response from both the police and the mall authorities, which is appalling. Footage reveals the distressing manner in which the victims were transported to the hospital. They were unceremoniously crammed into an autorickshaw, handled with blatant disregard for their safety and dignity.

Victim's Brother Recounts the Incident

Jafar Mohammed, the brother of deceased Shakeel, shared his experience with The Probe. When asked how he received the information about the incident, Jafar said, "I received the information when someone asked me on the phone, 'Is Shakeel your brother?' I replied, 'Yes.' They informed me that they received a call from Shakeel's number and learned that he had injured his leg while trying to take his bike out of the parking lot. The bike fell, and he fell with it. That's what they told me."

When asked if the information came from the galaxy mall authorities, Jafar confirmed, "Yes, that's correct. The mall authorities provided this incorrect information. They didn't say much else; they just instructed us to come to Chaar Murthy, where the mall is located. Since we were already familiar with the mall, we went there and discovered that Shakeel was shifted to Yatharth hospital."

Upon his arrival at the hospital, he encountered the tragic reality. "Shakeel was no longer alive, just like Bhati ji's son Harendra Bhati," Jafar stated. In the aftermath of the tragedy, Harendra Bhati's father recounted the events of that fateful day. Rajendra Bhati shared that it was a typical day for his son. Just minutes before the tragedy, CCTV footage captured Harendra walking into the lane leading to his house, and then exiting shortly afterward. Little did he know, it would be his final departure from his home.

Rajendra Bhati described the sequence of events with a heavy heart. "On March 3rd, my son left home at about 11:40 A.M. He arrived there around 12:20 P.M. Around 12:26, he met with the accident. My younger son, Dhirendra Bhati, was present there, and he called me to inform me about the accident. Assuming it was minor, I rushed to Yatharth Hospital in Greater Noida. There was a heavy police presence in the hospital. I saw my son's lifeless body there. At that moment, the police were asking me to fill out an application form. I told the officers, 'My son's lifeless body is here, and you are asking me to write an application?'"

Harendra Bhati operated a shop in the galaxy mall, while Shakeel worked there as a contract painter. Shakeel's brother, Jafar, reveals that numerous concerns about the mall's poor maintenance had been raised previously. He believes that had these concerns been adequately addressed by the galaxy mall authorities, both men would still be alive today.

Jafar spoke about the aftermath of the incident, saying, "An FIR was lodged in the case. However, the FIR hasn't seen any progress. To this day, they haven’t heard us out. We were shown the collapsed roof; the entire metal structure had fallen on them. Mall workers had lodged complaints about it, mentioning that the ceiling fan was shaking, and numerous concerns were raised. Despite their complaints, there were no hearings. We insisted on thorough inspections of all falcilities at the galaxy mall. It was then that we learned about a child who fell from the third floor due to broken glass earlier. Even in that case, no action was taken. The police have not listened to our pleas and have been non-cooperative." 

Victim's Father Raises Concerns Over Police Handling of Case

Rajendra Bhati has voiced serious concerns about how the police have handled the case. Despite the gravity of the incident, the mall authorities have not been held accountable. Although an FIR was registered against Pradeep Kumar Agrawalla and Sheetal Kumar Agrawalla, the Chairman and Managing Director of the Galaxy Group, the investigation into this case has not resulted in any concrete action. 

Rajendra Bhati described the harrowing experience after his son's death: "If you want proof, take the CCTV footage of Yatharth hospital’s main gate. Something fishy was going on right from the beginning. The police did not divulge details about where the bodies were being shifted for post mortem. The bodies reached the post mortem house within an hour but the papers reached the post mortem house after 2.5 hours. In the interim period, as soon as both the victims were shifted to the hospital, the mall authorities immediately got the blood stains and other evidence removed and cleaned from the crime scene. Who gave them the authority to do this. Doesn't this give rise to suspicion?" 

This incident took place on March 3rd, and more than two months have passed since then, yet no one has been held accountable for the deaths of Shakeel and Harendra. According to reports, the mall authorities have attributed the cause of the accident to strong winds and gotten away.

Bhati adds, "I stated during the FIR that something fell on him suddenly, it's a matter of suspicion requiring investigation. My son didn't die on the road; it wasn't a road accident or due to a pothole. He perished because something fell on him unexpectedly. What was it? This could be a conspiracy, an accident, or even a murder. Therefore, I requested the police to conduct an unbiased inquiry. I also asked them to gather and investigate the CCTV evidence from the mall thoroughly. I wanted them to show it to me so that I could be certain that my son was a victim of an accident, not a conspiracy. However, there was no investigation, no communication with us. I still haven't received the post-mortem report or the FIR copy. They claimed that the iron grille fell due to the wind. Can wind enter the mall? The incident occurred in an enclosed space where wind can't pass through. Who cleaned my son's bloodstains from the ground? Why are they being so lenient towards the mall authorities?". 

Despite the apparent negligence involved, no concrete action has been taken by the police to hold the galaxy mall authorities accountable for the deaths of the two men. Inspector Arvind Kumar who investigated the case was evasive when The Probe team met with him to inquire about the incident at the Bisrakh police station in Greater Noida West. We also contacted the Managing Director of the Galaxy Group, Sheetal Kumar Agrawalla, who promised to call us back but did not follow through.   

The galaxy mall incident highlights a recurring theme: when influential figures are involved, the rules seem to differ. It's a harsh reminder that, like in many other cases in the country, the lives of ordinary citizens seem to hold little value, and in their death, neither accountability nor dignity is upheld by those in power.

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