Bhubaneshwar: A minor boy died after being swept away in an open drain at Masjid Colony in Unit III area in Bhubaneswar on Tuesday afternoon.
The deceased child was identified as S K Rajesh, aged about 10 years old.
As per sources, heavy rainfall lashed Bhubaneswar at around 2 pm. Around that time, some children, including Rajesh, were playing near the drain at Masjid Colony. Rainwater from different areas flows in that drain. He reportedly saw a balloon floating in the drain and tried to collect it.
As Rakesh ventured into the drain water to catch the floating balloon, he was carried in the gushing stormwater.
As the news broke, local people rushed to the spot and launched a rescue operation. Later, on being informed, fire services personnel reached the spot and joined in the operation. Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation Mayor Sulochana Das also reached the spot to look after the rescue operation.
Later, the child was rescued from a drain in the Laxmisagar area and rushed to Capital Hospital.
Informing about the operation, fire personnel said, “There were three teams. One team was engaged at the accident spot, the second team was in the middle and the third team was at the end of the drain near Oscar City in the Laxmisagar area. We rescued the child from the endpoint. He was immediately rushed to Capital Hospital.”
However, the doctors at Capital Hospital declared him dead on arrival.
The family members and local residents blamed the open drain for the mishap. Had the drain been covered, a precious life could have been saved, they alleged.
Expressing his grief over the minor boy’s death, revenue and disaster management minister Suresh Pujari announced an ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh for the bereaved family.
