Boy, 15, falls into Delhi's Jasola drain while chasing kite, search still on after 36 hours

A multi-agency rescue operation continued for nearly 36 hours after the Class 8 student fell into the open drain while trying to catch a kite

A 15-year-old boy is feared to have drowned after he fell into an open drain in southeast Delhi’s Jasola on Saturday. Despite a nearly36-hour search, his body has yet to be found, police said on Sunday.

The open drain is near a residential area and is surrounded with garbage and debris. (Arvind Yadav/HT Photo)

The incident took place just before noon on Saturday and the boy was identified as a Class 8 student at a local government-run school and lived in the area with his family.

Search operation enters second day

According to the preliminary inquiry, the teenager was trying to catch a kite when accidentally slipped.

Delhi’s Fire Services (DFS) officials said that two fire tenders along with a rescue team were sent to the spot after the fire control room was informed about the incident at 11.54am.

A search and rescue operation, which included multiple agencies, was launched but by evening the boy had not been found.

NDRF joins multi-agency search as fast water hampers rescue

“The team tried its best to trace the boy by using all their equipment but the boy could not be found. Due to darkness the operation was called off on Saturday night,” said the DCP.

On Sunday morning, the operation was restarted but he had not been found till the time as this paper went to print.

While the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has reiterated that drains are not covered to allow for regular, cleaning, desilting, and release of toxic gases, there are no specific rules regarding proper barricading or installing grills to prevent people from falling in.

Agencies differ over who is responsible for the open drain

The drain was initially believed to be under the Delhi Jal Board (DJB), but agency officials said that it had been handed over to Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) for maintenance.

“With reference to the reported incident at Jasola, it is clarified that the Kachha Nallah, which carries treated effluent from Okhla STP, has been handed over to the MCD,” an official said.

However, MCD denied this. “According to officials from the central zone, the said drain belongs to irrigation and flood control department and not MCD. Concerned SDM is preparing the report in this regard,” an official said.

The I&FC did not respond to HT’s requests for comment.

The open drain passes through a residential area and on Sunday, HT that the paths were uneven and covered in trash and sludge, making it slippery to navigate. The drain itself is clogged with trash, debris, and organic refuse.

Family questions lack of safety measures around drain

The boy’s father, Avadhesh Kumar, told media that his family has been living in Jasola for nearly six years and questioned the lack of safety measures around the drain. “The drain is completely open, completely uncovered. It is about 5 to 6 feet deep, and the water flow is very strong. Our child would definitely be with us if there were proper safety measures.”

A police officer aware of the matter said the rescuers were facing difficulties because of the high speed of water. It was not immediately clear if any case had been registered in the matter.

On August 7, an 18-year-old man died after he fell into a drain in southeast Delhi’s Madanpur Khadar area while crossing it and was swept away by rainwater in the drain. His body was recovered from the Agra Canal the next evening.