Four-Year-Old Boy's Body Found 120km Downstream After Ganga Canal Fall
In a heartbreaking incident, the body of a four-year-old boy was recovered from the Ganga canal in Mathura on Thursday, nearly 120 kilometers downstream from where he fell six days earlier in Dankaur. The victim, identified as Adnan, a resident of Daula Rajpura village near the Eastern Peripheral Expressway, had slipped into the canal on February 27 while playing near its bank close to his home.
Intensive Search Efforts and Tragic Discovery
Teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) conducted extensive searches for the boy from February 27 until March 3, when the operation was called off. The breakthrough came when police officers in Mathura were alerted by a passerby about a body caught in weeds near Vrindavan. The body had bloated and was unrecognizable, but family members were able to identify Adnan from his clothing.
Munendra Singh, the station-in-charge at Dankaur police station, stated, "We had notified police in all nearby districts about the missing boy. On Thursday, we received a call from Mathura police that the child's body had surfaced in the canal. We immediately dispatched personnel along with the child's relatives for identification."
Family's Agony and Community Support
Adnan's father, Israr, recounted his desperate efforts to find his son, traveling approximately 60-70 kilometers along the canal banks in vain. The family brought the body back to their village, where last rites were performed in the presence of relatives and villagers, many of whom had supported the family during the days of uncertainty. "Adnan was the youngest and dearest in our family. Carrying a son's coffin is the greatest misfortune any father can endure," a grieving Israr expressed.
Safety Concerns Raised by Villagers
Villagers highlighted ongoing safety issues, noting that the canal flows dangerously close to several homes in the area, and children frequently play near the embankment. This tragedy has reignited concerns about the lack of protective measures and the need for increased vigilance to prevent such incidents in the future.
