An eight-year-old boy died after falling into an open drain flowing adjacent to a busy but poorly-lit road in North-West Delhi’s Shakurpur late on Monday evening.
Local residents and traders alleged that the portion of the six-foot wide drain — maintained by the PWD — had been lying open and neglected for the last four months.
A PWD official, however, claimed that prima facie it appeared that a heavy vehicle had run over and damaged the cover of the drain. “An inquiry into the incident has been ordered,” said the official.
Identified as Mohammad Anas, the third standard student was on his way home with his 13-year-old cousin when the mishap took place around 8.30 p.m. Kaushal Kumar Verma, an eyewitness, said he was having tea at a local stall when he noticed the boy fall into the drain.
“The boy’s uncle Mohsin jumped to rescue him. But, I feared that even Mohsin may drown because the drain is at least 12 feet deep,” said Verma, an employee at a local garments factory. Verma immediately pulled out a rope lying inside a parked truck and tied himself with it. Instructing some bystanders to pull him out as soon as he called out for help, he jumped into the drain. Verma soon realised Mohsin was drowning. “I caught Mohsin by his neck and pulled him out to safety. Then I went back to the drain,” said Verma.
“Each time my feet would touch the floor of the drain, I would use my toes to push myself above the water level. I tried hard, but could not locate Anas,” said Verma.
The locals said that the police and fire officials arrived within 30 minutes of the mishap. “It was three hours later (around 11.30 p.m.) that a local sanitation worker salvaged Anas’ body, more than 50 metres away from the spot he had fallen,” said Kishan Kumar, a local businessman. Vijay Singh, DCP (North-West), said that a case of causing death by negligence has been registered in this connection at Rani Bagh police station.
Hailing from Saharanpur district in the U.P., the boy lived with his parents and two sisters in Shakurpur. His father runs a garments manufacturing unit in the area. Meanwhile, Vijender Gupta, Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Vidhan Sabha, visited the victim’s family and demanded that the Delhi Government give a compensation of Rs.50 lakh to the family.
Vijender Gupta, Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Vidhan Sabha, on Tuesday demanded the Delhi Government give a compensation of Rs.50 lakh to the family