Within two days, second child dies after falling in Ghaziabad drain

Ghaziabad: If this fails to stir the authorities, nothing will. Two days after four-year-old Rahil drowned after falling in a major drain near Gulzar Colony in Ghaziabad, another four-year-old boy fell in the same drain on Tuesday afternoon and died. His body was fished out by locals but he was declared brought dead at MMG District hospital.

The victim on Tuesday was four-year-old Ayaan, who is son of Qayoom, a daily labourer in Murad Nagar. According to victim’s mother Rubina, her son was playing outside the house when the incident took place. However, boy’s father did not accept the argument that the boy got drowned on his own.

“My son was well aware of the drain and he was conscious of it. It is possible that he may have been pushed by someone. There is no possibility that he might have slipped in to the drain,” a grieving Qayoom said.

Following the incident, hundreds of locals arrived at Qayoom’s residence to offer sympathy.

“We will be staging protest near the drain if it is not covered by a boundary wall or fenced. There have been repeated incidents where kids die. There are lot of unused fencing and grill which is lying in corporation’s storehouses and these old fences should be used here to protect children from such incidents,” said Zakir Saifi, a councillor from nearby Kaila Bhatta area.

The police force from Kotwali, Sihani Gate, Kavi Nagar and Vijay Nagar was roped in at MMG hospital to prevent any escalation of law and order as a result of second drowning incident which agitated the residents.

“The residents are themselves to be blamed for the repeated incidents. They daily throw garbage from households into the drain and children cannot differentiate between the open ground and the drain which is close to the locality. The drain is around seven feet deep and six feet wide. The previous councillors did nothing to get the drain fenced or get a boundary wall constructed,” said Mohammad Chand, a resident.

The drain carries the waste from city areas to river Hindon while passing through the densely populated localities like Gulzar Colony. According to official estimates, nearly 680 metre of the drain runs very close to adjacent localities.

“We have already started the construction of two feet retaining wall alongside the 680 metre length of the drain near the localities. This was initiated after the first drowning incident. However, the second incident took place which is very unfortunate. The retaining wall will be completed soon and, if required, fencing will also be done,” said CP Singh, municipal commissioner.

Ayaan’s body has been sent for post-mortem said the police.

“The second child also drowned at the same location where Rahil got drowned. If Ayaan’s family forwards a complaint, we will lodge an FIR like we did after the first incident,” said Manisha Singh, circle officer (city I).

Some of the residents said that the drain was earlier going straight towards the forest area of Sai Upvan but was diverted nearly four or five years back through these localities.

“We want this drain to be diverted back to its original channel so that such incidents don’t occur with children or anyone else in our localities,” said Margoob Ahmad, the local councillor.