5-Year-Old Drowns in Open Drain in Delhi; Civic Officials Booked for Negligence

 A 5-year-old girl drowned in an open drain in outer north Delhi's Alipur area while playing with her siblings, police said on Monday.

The police have booked civic authority officials in connection with the case, they said.

According to police, the incident occurred on Saturday around 4 pm when the girl was playing with her siblings in the Akbarpur Majra area. She was visiting her father who was working in an agricultural field nearby.

While playing, she slipped into the open drain and drowned, police said.

During the course of investigations, it was found that the girl fell into the drain as it was left open, a police officer said.

A case is registered under section 106 (causing death by negligence) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita against the unknown officials of the Public Works Department, the officer said.

Meanwhile, reacting to the incident, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in a statement said, "Our hearts go out to the grieving family, and we stand in solidarity with them. However, for anyone found guilty in this matter, strict action must be taken against them." "We also hope that the police have filed a case against the NDMC concerning the two deaths that occurred during the last rain," it added.