New Delhi: In a heart-wrenching incident, a five-year-old girl died of thirst while her grandmother fell unconscious in Raniwara in Jalore district of Rajasthan, police said on Tuesday. The incident took place on Sunday afternoon when Sukhi (60) and her granddaughter Manju (5) were walking in the scorching heat to see a family member in Roda village, a little over 10 kilometres away. It was 45 degrees outside and they had walked almost 7 km when the girl died of dehydration.
While on the way, they felt thirsty but could not find water around as the place was uninhabited, Station House Officer Padma Ram said. Later, some shepherds spotted the duo from atop a small hill and informed the village sarpanch who informed the police. The police rushed to the spot and after first aid, both were taken to the hospital where Manju was declared dead, while Sukhi is undergoing treatment.
“We rushed to the spot which was not motorable. We found the girl had died while the old woman was unconscious due to dehydration,” the SHO said. The deceased’s body was given to her family members after post-mortem, he said.
Politics ensues
Meanwhile, Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat attacked the Rajasthan government for its indifference towards Centre’s Jal Jeevan Mission. In a series of tweets on Tuesday, the union minister attacked the Ashok Gehlot-led state government for distancing itself from Central government schemes and for not utilising the budget it received for implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission.
(With inputs from PTI)