A tragic incident occurred in Rajendra Park Extension, outer Delhi, when 13-year-old Vikas Singh drowned after slipping into an open drain on Friday afternoon. Vikas, a Class 6 student, had just returned from school and stepped out to play at around 3:45 PM when the accident took place. Despite desperate attempts by passersby to rescue him, the teenager was unable to be saved as the area surrounding the drain was muddy and treacherous.
The drain, which is nearly 2 kilometers long, was filled with waste, making it difficult for rescuers to retrieve the boy. Local resident Anju Kumar, who was the first to reach the scene, attempted to help by offering a wooden stick, but Vikas was unable to grasp it. Fire officials were later called in to recover the body after two hours, with one official describing the drain as “a dirty drain with garbage up to the waist.”
Police investigations revealed that the drain falls under the jurisdiction of the Public Works Department (PWD), which has yet to comment on the situation. An FIR will be filed, with charges of death by negligence under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Act.
Local residents have long demanded that the drain be cleaned or secured with a safety barrier, citing previous incidents of children falling into it. Despite these pleas, no action has been taken, leaving the community disheartened by the lack of response from civic agencies.
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