NEW DELHI: A six-year-old boy died after falling into a 15-foot-deep water-filled pit at Kala Dham Society in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, police said.
The body has been sent for post-mortem examination, and an investigation has been launched to ascertain the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The victim was identified as Avyaan Surya, the son of Siwan Yadav, Vice Principal of Kendriya Vidyalaya.
According to police and local residents, the incident occurred in the Knowledge Park area of Greater Noida on Saturday. The pit, nearly 15 feet deep, had reportedly been dug by the Greater Noida Authority for boring work and had filled with rainwater following recent showers.
Residents alleged that the excavation site had neither barricades nor warning signs, making it hazardous for people, especially children. They said Avyaan was playing with other children near the site when he accidentally fell into the open pit.
Locals immediately rushed to rescue the child and pulled him out of the water before taking him to a nearby hospital. However, doctors declared him dead on arrival.
The incident has sparked anger among residents, who accused the Greater Noida Authority of negligence for allegedly failing to secure the excavation site. They demanded strict action against those responsible and called for better safety measures around construction and infrastructure projects.
Residents also recalled a similar tragedy earlier this year involving 27-year-old software engineer Yuvraj Mehta, who drowned after his car plunged into a waterlogged pit near a construction site in Noida on the intervening night of January 16 and 17. They said repeated accidents highlight the need for authorities to ensure proper barricading and safety precautions at hazardous locations.
Meanwhile, in a separate incident in the national capital, a 20-year-old man died after losing control of his vehicle at a sharp turn and driving into an open drain near southwest Delhi's Vasant Kunj area, officials said on Saturday.
The accident took place on Friday morning when the deceased, identified as Yashvendra, and his friend were returning home through the Nangal Dewat area. According to officials, Yashvendra lost control of the vehicle while negotiating a sharp turn, causing the car to veer into the open drain.
--IANS
