15-Year-Old Boy Missing After Plunging Into Open Drain in South Delhi; Rescue Efforts Underway

New Delhi: A devastating incident unfolded in South Delhi's Jasola village on Saturday morning when a 15-year-old boy fell into a heavily silted open drain while attempting to retrieve a kite.

As of Sunday morning, the boy, identified as Mithun, remains missing, prompting a massive multi-agency search operation.

The Incident

The tragic mishap occurred around 11:00 AM on Saturday. Mithun, a Class 8 student, was dressed in his school uniform and getting ready to head to class.

According to his maternal uncle, Shiva, the teenager impulsively climbed up to grab a stray kite but lost his balance and plunged into the murky waters of the open drain.

"We were all at work, his parents included. He was ready for school and wearing his uniform when, on a whim, he climbed up to retrieve a kite and fell into the drain," Shiva recounted.

Search Operations

Immediately following the incident, local authorities, the Delhi Fire Service, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) were deployed to the site.

Despite a relentless day-long search that stretched into Sunday, rescue teams have yet to locate the boy.

The rescue operation has been severely hampered by the drain's physical condition.

Local councillor Manish Chaudhary noted that the drain, which carries treated water from the Jasola sewage plant into the Agra Canal, is heavily clogged with silt and garbage.

Furthermore, the narrow, congested lanes flanking the drain have made it impossible to bring in bulldozers or heavy machinery to clear the blockage. Near Cribs Hospital, the drain runs completely underground, complicating the rescue teams' access.

Allegations

As the search drags on, the family's desperation has turned into frustration. Mithun's father, Avadhesh Kumar, an auto-rickshaw driver, expressed deep anguish over the methods of the rescue operation.

"My son is 15 years old and studies in eighth grade. He fell into the drain at 11:00 AM on Saturday, but despite searching all day, he hasn't been found," Kumar stated.

He alleged that while divers arrived promptly at the scene, they avoided entering the hazardous water, opting instead to probe the drain from the outside with long sticks.

At the site, the emotional toll on the family was palpable. Mithun's mother, surrounded by distressed relatives and neighbours, was seen pleading with authorities. "I don't want anything else; just give me my child," she cried.

The search operation resumed at first light on Sunday. The incident has once again highlighted the severe civic hazards posed by uncovered, heavily silted drains traversing densely populated neighbourhoods in the capital.

Authorities continue to scour the length of the drain and the connecting Agra Canal, hoping for a breakthrough.