Boy falls into Patna nullah, rescue operation on

PATNA: At least 20 divers of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) were engaged in an operation to search and rescue a 10-year-old boy who fell into an open drain adjacent to a sump house at Punachak in Patna on Saturday.
Police said Deepak Kumar fell into a drainage pit attached to a tunnel located near the Basawan Park sump house while he was returning home after delivering lunch box to his father who is a fruit vendor.
The Class II student of Balak Madhya Vidyalaya at Punaichak was accompanied by his eight-year-old friend Rahul when the incident took place around 1.30pm.
“The boy fell into the tunnel when the drain water was flowing in high speed,” SDRF’s second-in-command A K Jha told this reporter at 4.30pm and added the search and rescue operation could continue through the night as they were not sure of the exact length of the tunnel.
Patna Municipal Corporation’s deputy commissioner Vishal Anand, who was also present at the spot, said the sump house is run by the Bihar Rajya Jal Parishad. The drainage pit was open, which led to the tragic incident.
Locals said the drainage pit had been left open for years. They alleged a girl and a man lost lives in the same pit earlier.
Deepak’s father Guddu Ram (35), who along with his family resides in Professors’ Colony, owns a fruit shop at Boring Road roundabout. He has four children, including three daughters. Deepak is his only son.
Deepak’s friend Rahul recalled they were crossing the cemented road built across the drain when suddenly a cow lunged at us and Deepak in his bid to escape slipped into the drain.