7-year-old drowns in water pit in Hyderabad; 3rd rain-related death within days
The other children playing with him immediately ran to the nearby showroom to inform the parents and seek help, but the boy died before he could be rescued
By Newsmeter Network
Hyderabad: After the recent rains claimed the lives of 10-year-old Mounika and Grey Hounds constable Veera Swamy, a third incident has been reported in Telangana. Seven-year-old Vivek fell into a water pit and died on Tuesday.
The pit, located on Road No. 45 in Jubilee Hills on an open plot of 2,000 square yards, a private property had be en dug to collect rainwater and wastewater to avoid stagnation in the plot. It had filled up after two days of rain. Local children often played in the area during the holidays and as it is the summer holidays, children came to play here, including the young boy who tragically lost his life.
According to the Jubilee Hills police, the boy’s parents, Shankar and Latha, recently moved to the city from Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh in search of work. Shankar worked as a watchman at a nearby bike showroom. On the day of the incident, the parents had left for work while their son played with his friends.
According to witnesses, the boy was climbing a tree adjacent to the pit when he lost his grip and fell into the pit. The other children playing with him immediately ran to the nearby showroom to inform the parents and seek help, but the boy died before he could be rescued.
The boy’s mother, Latha, tearfully recounted how he had wanted to wear new clothes earlier that morning but she had told him to wait for his birthday which was coming up in a few days. But he didn’t listen to her and wore the new clothes not realising it would be his last.
The Jubilee Hills police have registered a case and are investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Not an isolated incident
It may be recalled that on 29 April, a 10-year-old girl died due to damaged roads in Kalasiguda. She was with her mentally challenged brother when he fell into a broken pathway. While trying to save him, Mounika slipped into the pathway and was swept away by the strong currents of water. Despite efforts from onlookers and the Disaster Response Force team, she could not be rescued. Her body was found near a nala at Park Lane. Residents blamed the GHMC for negligence and demanded immediate action to prevent future tragedies.
On 1 May, Grey Hounds constable Veera Swamy died after he was electrocuted while travelling on a bike in heavy rain. While traveling on the free left road, due to heavy rain and strong gusts of wind, he lost control and fell on the footpath along with his bike. He was electrocuted and died on the spot.
