Two-year-old boy survives 20-foot fall into open sewer in Thane

A two-year-old boy survived a 20-foot fall into an open sewer in Thane, rescued by locals before responders arrived. He is receiving medical care.

THANE: A two-year-old boy miraculously survived a 20-foot plunge into an open sewer chamber near Dnyanasadhana College in Thane on Tuesday evening, after local residents mounted a swift and daring rescue even before civic responders arrived.

Two-year-old boy survives 20-foot fall into open sewer in Thane

The child, identified as Hamdan Gufran Qureshi, a resident of Rabodi, was walking along the footpath on the Mumbai–Nashik Highway with his mother when he slipped and fell into the uncovered chamber. Witnesses said the mother’s screams for help alerted nearby residents, who rushed to the spot.

Local leader Namrata Bhosale said a group of youths immediately began searching for the boy. One of them, identified only as Gopi, climbed down into the sewer and groped through the murky water for nearly 10 minutes before locating the child. Using the mother’s burqa as an improvised rope, the group managed to pull Hamdan to safety.

He was first taken to Thane Civil Hospital and later shifted to Jupiter Hospital for specialised treatment. Doctors said he suffered head injuries, and there is concern that sewage water may have entered his stomach due to the time he spent in the drain.

Yasin Tadvi, chief of the Thane Municipal Corporation’s Disaster Management Cell, said the fall could have been fatal. “A fall of nearly 20 feet is extremely dangerous, especially for a child of such a young age. Fortunately, he survived. Our priority was to ensure he received immediate medical attention,” he said.

Residents have demanded that the civic body immediately audit all open or damaged drainage chambers in the area to prevent similar incidents.