A four-year-old boy died after falling into an open septic tank in a municipal school in Kapashera here on Wednesday morning.
The school authorities have been booked for causing death by negligence and also face other allegations, including not covering the tank and reporting the matter late to the police.
The accident happened around 11.30 a.m., according to the police.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southwest) R.A. Sanjeev said the boy, Ankit Kumar, and his friends were playing in the open area inside School No. 2 run by the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC).
The boys were running over the septic tank, not aware that its cover was open, the police said.
“Ankit fell into the tank and screamed for help. A teenager, Ramesh, dived into the tank and pulled the boy out. Ankit was rushed to Columbia Asia Hospital where he was declared dead,” Mr. Sanjeev said. The boy’s family, the police and the civic body were not immediately informed about the accident. The call to the police control room was made around 1.30 p.m., almost two hours after the accident, Mr. Sanjeev said.
The septic tank has a cover which has to be locked for safety. The cover, however, had been unlocked and left open a few days ago. The school authorities did not bother to put the cover back and this led to the accident, the police said. The tank is around 7 feet deep.
The school authorities have been charged under Section 304-A of the Indian Penal Code. SDMC Mayor Subhash Arya has ordered an inquiry to be conducted by the Additional Commissioner responsible for the Education Department. The report will be submitted within three days and strict action will be taken against anyone found guilty, the Mayor said.
