Manhole claims life of eight-year-old

An eight-year-old schoolboy fell into an open manhole and died on Saturday.

The boy, Sadaqat Ali, had been on his way home from his school when the tragedy struck. Dozens of relatives of the deceased protested by setting fire to tires on the main road after the rescue operation was stopped after a few hours without the boy’s body having been recovered.

Police arrived on the spot and negotiated with the protesters. The body was ultimately found at the WASA’s disposal point at night.

Police handed over the body to his heirs after autopsy.

Babar Nadeem’s eight-year-old son Sadaqat Ali, a resident of Siddique Akbar Chowk, Talianwala Road, had been on his way home from school when he fell into a manhole near the Suraya Majeed Hospital in Razaabad.

Five vehicles of Rescue 1122, including an ambulance, arrived on the spot to search for the child. When the child was not found during the search operation, the rescue team stopped the operation.

Babar Nadeem, the father of the boy, demanded of Rescue 1122 to continue the search operation until the fate of the boy was ascertained.

To press for the acceptance of his demands, Babar Nadeem, along with dozens of his family members and residents, staged a protest demonstration and blocked the main road for traffic.

Police arrived on the scene, negotiated with the deceased’s father and neighbors and reassured them of full cooperation.

Upon the reassurance the protest was stopped.

On the other hand, WASA officials could not reach the spot despite receiving information due to which the emotions of the people of the area flared up.

The body of the deceased was found at WASA’s disposal point late at night.

Senior police officials, including the DSP of Gulberg, Saleem Haider Shah, and the AC of City reached the spot, who handed over the body of the deceased to his heirs after taking necessary action.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 17, 2022.