A 56-year-old man, who drowned at a waterlogged underpass in Minto Road on Sunday morning, had plans to go home in Uttarakhand as his elder daughter’s wedding was scheduled for November, said a family member.
The victim — Kundan Kumar — had come back from Uttarakhand a few days before the lockdown in March, said his cousin Pritam Singh. “He wanted to go home as his elder daughter, Kavita’s, wedding was scheduled for November but was advised by his family to wait till the situation returns to normal.”
‘Last seen’
On the day of the incident, a boy, who knew Kumar, last saw him on the top of the tempo, said Mr. Singh.
“When the boy returned to the spot with help, they could not see my brother anymore. Maybe he got scared and could not escape or maybe he slipped. Later, his body was retrieved from the water,” Mr. Singh said.
Kumar was the sole breadwinner of his family. He is survived by his elderly parents, wife and two daughters — aged 22 and 11. His family lives in Uttarakhand’s Pithoragarh.
Kumar used to drive his cousin’s mini truck for ferrying goods and food to a paramilitary canteen, Mr. Singh said. Kumar lived near a taxi stand in Shankar Market where he parked his vehicle. He used to leave for work at 5 a.m. and return home at around 7 p.m., his cousin said. “I last spoke to him on Saturday evening. At 8.30 a.m. on Sunday, I got a call regarding the incident after which I sent some men to Minto Bridge,” Mr. Singh said.
The police said Kumar was trying to manoeuvre his vehicle through the waterlogged underpass when it got stuck and he drowned.
Kumar, who earned ₹15,000-₹20,000 per month depending on work availability, used to be in the city for 3-4 months and then go home for next 4-5 months.
Kunar’s body was shifted to a mortuary at Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital wherein it will be handed over to the police after post-mortem.
Some other vehicles were also stuck due to massive waterlogging at Minto Bridge due to a heavy downpour. Delhi Fire Service personnel rescued a driver and a conductor of a DTC bus and an auto driver from their vehicles stuck in the waterlogged underpass.
