A four-year-old child who fell into an open sewer near Kheri Baba Bridge in Delhi’s Nangli Vihar Extension was found dead at the Nilothi sewage treatment plant after a 24-hour search operation involving the Delhi Police, fire department and National Disaster Response Force. The child’s body was recovered in multiple pieces and sent to Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital for post-mortem examination and DNA testing.
According to a senior police officer cited in the report, the Runhola police station received information at about 3:21 pm on Tuesday that the child had fallen into a sewer while playing near the bridge. Fire personnel, local divers and NDRF teams began searching the sewer and drain network after reaching the site.
The search teams followed the route of the drain and sewer line towards the sewage treatment plant at Nilothi in Nihal Vihar. The operation continued for approximately 24 hours before the remains were recovered from the plant. Police said the DNA examination would be carried out to confirm the child’s identity, while the post-mortem examination is also pending.
The report said the body was found severely dismembered. Police suspect that the child may have come into contact with machinery used to filter and treat wastewater at the plant. The remains were subsequently taken to Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital, where forensic procedures will be conducted.
Police have registered a first information report against unidentified persons under Section 106(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, relating to causing death by negligence, and have begun an investigation. The case places attention on the physical condition of the sewer network, the protection of access points and the responsibility of agencies operating or maintaining drainage infrastructure in residential areas.
A Delhi government official said Delhi Jal Board officials inspected the location. According to the official, the interceptor sewer line passes beneath a closed boundary wall along the Najafgarh drain. The official alleged that the cover over the drain had been damaged by miscreants and anti-social elements. The administration had already restricted entry to that section because of other illegal activities in the area, the official said.
The official added that a detailed report would be submitted on the incident. Local residents expressed anger over open drains and uncovered sewers in residential neighbourhoods as rescue teams searched for the child. The police investigation, DNA examination, post-mortem report and the promised administrative report will determine how the access point was left exposed and whether further action is taken against those responsible.
