Amritsar: 2-year-old falls into dirty water pit, dies

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, January 3

A 2-year-old child, identified as Ishan, lost his life after he accidentally fell into a pit dug for laying sewer pipes in Ram Nagar Colony on Majitha Road here on Monday.

The pit was filled with dirty sewerage water. He along with his elder brother was going to his maternal aunt’s house when both of them slipped and fell into the pit. His brother somehow managed to come out and started crying. Listening to his cries, nearby residents gathered on the spot and started looking for Ishan. Around 10 minutes later, his body was recovered and rushed to hospital where doctors declared him dead.

Enraged over the incident, the family members along with residents of the area started a protest against the contractor, who was assigned the work of laying sewer pipes underground and the civic body authorities, keeping the body of the victim on the road.

They protested against their failure to supervise the work and take precautions to avoid such incidents. They also raised slogans against the administration.

The residents prolonged their protest as they were demanding compensation for the victim’s family.

Joshanjit, father of the victim, said he worked as a junk dealer and his wife as a domestic help. He said Ishan along with his elder brother was going to his aunt’s house when they slipped into a pit. While his brother managed to come out of the pit, Ishan got stuck into it. He said there was no arrangement or precautionary measures made by the contractor to avoid such incidents. He demanded the registration of a case against the contractor.

The protest led to a massive traffic chaos on Majitha Road. The police reached the spot and tried to pacify the victim’s family and the residents. They took the body into their possession and sent it to the Civil Hospital for a post-mortem.

Gurvinder Singh, SHO, Sadar police station, said a case under Section 304-A (causing death by negligence) of the IPC had been registered against the unidentified contractor and member panchayat Upkar Singh. Despite registering a case, the residents continued with their protest as they were seeking compensation from the government for the victim’s family.

His elder brother managed to save himself

The victim along with his elder brother was going to his maternal aunt’s house when both of them slipped and fell into the pit. His brother somehow managed to come out and started crying. Listening to his cries, nearby residents gathered on the spot and started looking for Ishan. Around 10 minutes later, his body was recovered and rushed to hospital where doctors declared him dead