A 24-hour rescue operation to locate a four-year-old boy who fell into an open manhole in outer Delhi's Baprola area ended tragically on Wednesday after his dismembered body was recovered from a sewage treatment plant in Nilothi, police said.
Police suspect that the child's body was dismembered while passing through machinery at the sewage treatment plant, where large rotating equipment is used to filter and process wastewater.
The boy had fallen into the manhole near Kheri Baba Pul in Nangli Vihar Extension on Tuesday afternoon, prompting an extensive search operation involving Delhi Police, fire brigade personnel, local divers and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).
Rescue teams traced the sewer and adjoining drainage network before reaching the treatment plant in Nilothi, Nihal Vihar, where the child's body was discovered in multiple parts.
The remains were recovered and sent to Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital for preservation and post-mortem examination.
A senior police officer said DNA profiling would be conducted to establish the identity of the deceased child.
"DNA profiling will be conducted to establish the identity of the deceased child. Further investigation is underway," the officer said.
Police have registered an FIR against unidentified persons under Section 106(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which deals with causing death by negligence.
๐ฆ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฐ๐ต ๐ต๐ฎ๐บ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฏ๐ ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ฏ๐ถ๐น๐ถ๐๐
According to police, information about the incident was received at Ranhola police station in outer Delhi around 3.21 pm on November 10.
The child had accompanied his mother to Dass Garden Park when the incident occurred.
Police said the boy was moving towards a drain to relieve himself when he accidentally fell into an uncovered manhole.
Rescue personnel immediately launched a search of the sewer and adjoining drain, but the operation proved difficult because of the interconnected drainage network.
Teams searched for nearly seven hours on Tuesday without locating the child.
Poor visibility and hazardous conditions inside the sewer hampered rescue efforts, forcing officials to suspend the operation overnight.
The search resumed on Wednesday, with personnel following the sewer's route towards the sewage treatment plant.
Police said the interconnected sewer and drain system made it particularly challenging to determine how far the child had been carried through the network.
The operation eventually led rescuers to the Nilothi facility, where the body was recovered.
๐ฅ๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐ณ๐ฒ๐๐ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ป๐
The incident left residents of the locality shocked, with several people gathering near the site on Tuesday to support the family as rescue teams continued their search.
Locals remained at the spot for hours, hoping the child would be found alive.
"We gathered here because the family was going through an extremely hard time. We wanted them to know that they were not alone. Everyone was praying that the child would be found safe," a resident said.
Another resident expressed concern over uncovered manholes and open sewers in residential neighbourhoods, calling for immediate preventive measures.
"It is painful that a child lost his life after falling into a manhole. Open manholes invite accidents. Authorities must ensure that these are properly covered, as such incidents can happen to anyone," the resident said.
The tragedy has raised questions about the maintenance and safety of drainage infrastructure in residential areas, particularly where uncovered manholes pose risks to pedestrians and children.
Police said further investigation was underway to establish the circumstances of the incident and determine responsibility for the alleged negligence.
The child's identity will be formally established through DNA profiling, while the post-mortem examination is expected to assist investigators in determining the circumstances of his death.