In a tragic incident that has cast a pall of gloom over Mansur village in Dharwad taluk, two seven-year-old boys drowned after accidentally falling into a water-filled pit dug for house construction on Wednesday night.
Victims Identified
The deceased have been identified as Kumar Ningappa Mudakannavar, 7, a resident of Mansur village, and Pratham Ullagaddi, 7, a native of Sattur in Dharwad city who had come to the village to visit his maternal relatives during the holidays.
Sequence of Events
According to villagers, the children had gone out to play on Wednesday evening but failed to return home even after nightfall. As hours passed, worried family members and villagers launched a frantic search across the village. Late in the night, the boys were found inside a deep pit filled with rainwater that had reportedly been dug for the construction of a house in the village. By the time locals climbed into the pit and brought them out, both children had already drowned.
Aftermath and Investigation
The heartbreaking sight left family members inconsolable and plunged the entire village into mourning. Police from Dharwad Rural station visited the spot and conducted an inspection. The bodies were later shifted to a local hospital for postmortem examination. Police have initiated an investigation and are also looking into possible legal action against the person responsible for leaving the excavation pit uncovered and unprotected.
Safety Concerns Raised
The tragedy has once again raised concerns over the growing number of unsafe construction sites and unattended water-filled pits in rural areas, especially during the rainy season, which continue to pose a serious threat to children.
