6-year-old boy swept away in open drain in Bhubaneswar

BHUBANESWAR: A six-year-old boy was swept away by rainwater, following brief but heavy showers, in an open drain while playing in Unit-III area in the city on Tuesday afternoon. The deceased was identified as Abu Bakkar Saha, son of Humati Saha, a scrap collector.

Sources said Abu was playing with a balloon near the drain no. 5, barely 50 metres from his house, when storm water from upstream swept him away at 3 pm before locals could react.They jumped into the drain to search for him but they failed to locate him.
His body was later fished out by fire services personnel.
Manoranjan Rout, assistant fire officer (AFO), who led the operation, said, "Knee-deep water was flowing in the drain that is 8-ft wide and 10-ft high. We kept walking in the drain up to Oscar colony near Laximisagar with nets, ropes and other equipment. After we spotted him, we took him to Capital Hospital where doctors declared him brought dead," he told TOI.
Sources said the boy was found floating in the water at an intersection where two drains have joined near Laxmisagar, which is about 4 km from the accident spot.
CM Majhi announces ₹4L compensation for boy's family
There is a 6-ft opening towards the residential area although the road joining the drain is very narrow. There was a net put around the opening by works department but perhaps locals have removed the net," said Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation deputy commissioner (sanitation), Manoranjan Sahu.
Chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi condoled the death and announced ex gratia of Rs 4 lakh from the State Disaster Response Fund for the next of kin of the deceased. Abu has an elder brother and younger sister.
BMC mayor Sulochana Das, who visited the spot and hospital, said, "It is being probed under what circumstances the boy was swept away. The drain no. 5 is close to railway tracks and there is another drain flowing nearby. Thorough investigation will be conducted to ascertain who removed the safety net on the drain, if there was one. Most of the open drains have been covered with nets."