Toddler falls into open sewer, dies

In yet another tragic incident in the national capital, a two-and-a-half-year-old boy died after falling into an open sewer in Kheda Khurd village in Outer north Delhi on Saturday. According to the police, they received information about the incident in the morning, following which a large-scale search and rescue operation was launched.

After five hours of intense efforts, the child’s body was recovered from the sewer and sent for post-mortem examination. It is suspected that the boy was trying to retrieve a ball near the sewer. Due to severe waterlogging, the sewer opening was not visible, and the child accidentally fell into it.

When the boy did not return for long time, his family members started searching for him. Investigators scrutinised the CCTV footage from the area, showing the child falling into the sewer. Rescue teams immediately swung into action but could not save him. The police said further investigation was on into the matter. Criticising the government, former Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj took to X over the deaths in the national capital on the sacred day of Raksha Bandhan, blaming them on government negligence.

“The BJP government has become a curse for Delhiites. A 2.5-year-old child has also died after drowning in a manhole. Think about the destruction this incompetent government has brought. I told CM Rekha Gupta on Saturday morning that opening manholes during rain is a dangerous shortcut,” Bhardwaj wrote.

Delhi