Poclain driver starts machine with 8-yr-old boy in its bucket

Pune: An eight-year-old boy sitting in the bucket of a poclain machine in Pune experienced probably most traumatic moments of his life when its driver started the engine and lifted him off, according to the father of the boy.

The video of the incident has gone viral in which the boy sitting in the machine bucket was purportedly seen being lifted off after the driver started the engine.

The father of the boy, Sarthak Limbone, came to know about the incident only after he saw the video of the incident which was forwarded on his mobile phone. In the video, the boy looked terrified while some children are laughing in the background. "I sought an explanation from him about the incident. Initially, he was scared but later informed me what exactly happened," Sarthak's father SanjayLimbone said.

Sanjay said the incident occurred on Sunday near a nullah in Ganesh Peth area where desilting work was underway. "My son was playing cricket with other children near the nullah. My son told me that while some of his friends went home after some time, he was sitting in the bucket of the poclain. "Suddenly, the driver came from nowhere and started the engine. The bucket was lifted up and down that left my son terrified," Sanjay said. He said Sarthak was seen shouting and pleading with the driver to take him down. "My nephew who was present there too shouted at the driver to take him down. Had Sarthak jumped off the bucket, he would have been hurt grievously," Sanjay said.

Sanjay said he has approached Ganesh Peth police outpost which comes under Farazkhana police station and filed a complaint against the poclain driver. When contacted, a Farazkhana police station official said that no such complaint was registered till late night.