Ranchi: Four years after the Trikut ropeway accident in Deoghar district killed three persons and left dozens stranded mid-air, the criminal investigation is yet to make much progress.
On April 10, 2022, the ropeway at Trikut hills abruptly stopped during operation, trapping 59 passengers mid-air. A rescue operation involving the district administration, NDRF, Army and Air Force stretched for nearly 46 hours. While most were evacuated, three died — one during the initial incident and two amid the rescue exercise. Soon after, Mukun Pujahar, son of one of the victims, lodged an FIR against Damodar Ropeways & Infra Ltd (DRIL) and its officials under Sections 304A (causing death by negligence) and 287 (negligent conduct with machinery) of the IPC. Site manager Vineet Sinha was also named. Mohanpur police took up the probe, but progress remained limited.
On May 18, 2024, the investigating officer summoned Aditya Chamaria, managing director of DRIL, asking him to appear on May 23. Chamaria, however, did not turn up. On June 12, 2024, police filed a chargesheet against site manager Vineet Sinha, stating that the charges were found true against both Sinha and Chamaria. Sinha later surrendered in court and was granted bail. The police did not file any chargesheet against Chamaria. It said that the probe against him is ongoing.
The chargesheet — filed under bailable sections — mentioned that the decision to proceed against Sinha was based on oral instructions from senior officers, while further investigation into the company owner's role would continue. Legal experts flagged concerns over invoking bailable provisions, arguing that it diluted the gravity of a case involving multiple deaths. They pointed out that despite indications of wider responsibility, the probe remains incomplete.
Court records show that since 2024, the case has come up for hearing at least eight times in Deoghar but is stuck at the “appearance” stage. Jharkhand high court took suo motu cognisance, seeking updates through affidavits. On March 12, 2025, it disposed of the PIL, noting that DRIL had been blacklisted and compensation paid.
Jharkhand Tourism Development Corporation blacklisted DRIL for five years on June 24, 2024, and imposed a fine of over Rs 9 crore. Deoghar SP Praveen Pushkar and Mohanpur OC did not receive calls despite several attempts.
