India, Aug. 22 -- The Nigdi police on Thursday arrested Ramesh Shivaji Patil, 46, a telecom infrastructure contractor, after three labourers died of suspected suffocation while working inside an underground optic fibre duct belonging to BSNL. Police have also booked BSNL officials for negligence.

The incident occurred around 3 pm on August 15, near Nirmal Villa, Sector 27/A, Nigdi Pradhikaran. The deceased were identified as Lakhan Asruba Dhavare, 35, Dattatray Vijaykumar Honale, 35-both from Chinchwad-and Sahebrao Sambhaji Girshete, 35, of Bijlinagar. A fourth worker, Babasaheb Ambadas Wagh, 52, who stayed outside the chamber, raised an alarm when the others collapsed.

According to the FIR, Patil's firm had been contracted to lay fibre...