A tragic incident occurred in Mandapura village near Pachpadra in Balotra district on Tuesday, where three young boys lost their lives after drowning in a sewage drain. The victims were identified as 7-year-old Sohan, 8-year-old Kishan, and 9-year-old Vikas. Their bodies were retrieved from a muddy pit filled with water and mud.
Incident Details
According to Balotra Sub-Divisional Magistrate Rajesh Kumar, authorities received an alert around 4 pm regarding the incident. The boys had fallen into a water-filled pit near a Bhil settlement in Mandapura village. Emergency responders pumped out the water to recover the bodies, which were then transported to the Pachpadra Community Health Centre (CHC), where doctors pronounced them dead.
How the Tragedy Unfolded
Gram Panchayat Administrator Dalaram Prajapat stated that the boys were playing in an empty lot approximately 100 meters from their home when they accidentally fell into the pit. The pit had become filled with water and mud following recent rains. When the children did not return home, their families began searching for them and soon discovered their slippers floating in the muddy water. Fearing the worst, they immediately notified the police and local authorities.
Community Reaction
The incident drew a large crowd of villagers who gathered to assist with recovery efforts. Many expressed outrage and called on the local administration to implement improved safety measures around open drains and waterlogged areas to prevent future tragedies. A concerned resident urged, “We urge the administration to take immediate action to enhance safety and ensure such incidents do not happen again.”
Official Response
Pachpadra police station house officer Geeta Kumari confirmed, “The bodies have been kept in the mortuary. We will take further steps after receiving the family members’ report.” Authorities are investigating the incident and considering measures to cover or secure open drainage pits in the area.
