Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi: In a heart-wrenching incident that underscores the dangers of civic negligence, a 23-year-old woman and her three-year-old son died after falling into an open drain during heavy rain in Delhi’s Ghazipur area last evening. The woman, Tanuja Bisht, was returning from the weekly market with her son, Priyansh, when they fell into the waterlogged drain. Their bodies were recovered hours later, with Tanuja still holding her son’s hand.
The incident occurred during a downpour that flooded roads and obscured the open drain. Tanuja’s husband, Govind Singh, was at work in Noida when the tragedy struck. He expressed frustration over the slow rescue efforts, stating that timely action could have saved his wife and son.
Tanuja’s uncle, Harish Rawat, described the chaotic scene and criticized the inadequate rescue operation. He recounted how the family received information around 7:30 PM and immediately contacted the police. Despite the efforts of the rescue team, they lacked proper equipment, leading to a two-hour delay in recovering the bodies.
“We rushed them to Lal Bahadur Shastri Hospital in a private cab, hoping they could still be saved. There was no ambulance available,” Rawat said, emphasizing the dire situation and the lack of timely medical assistance. He poignantly noted that even in death, Tanuja did not let go of her son’s hand.
Local residents have expressed their anger and frustration, pointing out that the open drain had been a hazard for the past three months, frequently overflowing during rainstorms. Despite numerous complaints to authorities, no action was taken to cover the drain. One resident remarked, “If the drain had been closed, she would have been alive. She died pointlessly.”
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) have been embroiled in a blame game, with the MCD stating that the under-construction drain falls under DDA jurisdiction.
This tragic incident is not isolated. Delhi has reported 11 rain-related deaths following the recent downpour. The city has long struggled with issues of blocked drains and illegal constructions that exacerbate flooding. Just last week, three IAS aspirants died in Rajinder Nagar after a basement library was flooded.
The deaths of Tanuja and Priyansh have sparked massive outrage and demands for accountability from civic authorities. Residents and activists are calling for immediate measures to address the city’s drainage issues and ensure such tragedies do not recur.
