New Delhi: A 27-year-old drowned in the waterlogged Pul Prahladpur underpass on Monday afternoon, while reportedly taking selfies and videos on his cellphone, the police said.
The underpass was shut for all traffic on Monday morning due to the incessant rains, inundating several areas and resulting in long snarls on several important thoroughfares. Police barricades were placed to block the roads leading to the underpass, which was filled with rain water since morning.
Deputy commissioner of police (southeast) RP Meena said the police received a call at 1.37pm reporting a drowning beneath the railway underpass at Pul Prahladpur. Fire department rescue teams and divers were called in for rescue efforts. However, after an hour-long operation, the man’s body was fished out of the underpass.
The man was identified as Ravi Chautala, a resident of south Delhi’s Gautampuri in Jaitpur, around 200 metres from the underpass. The body was sent to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) for an autopsy and the man’s family was informed about his death, said Meena.
“Locals revealed that Chautala went deep into the water to take selfies or videos. Inquest proceedings are being conducted”, he added.
Chautala is survived by his parents, four siblings, his wife and a 10-month-old daughter. He worked in a PPE kit-manufacturing unit in Okhla.
{{/usCountry}}Chautala is survived by his parents, four siblings, his wife and a 10-month-old daughter. He worked in a PPE kit-manufacturing unit in Okhla.
{{/usCountry}}His sister, Preeti, said that he left home in the morning for work and she last spoke to him around 11.40am. “I called to ask if he reached office and was carrying his lunchbox. Around 3pm, someone called on my father’s mobile number and informed that my brother had drowned. My parents and sister have gone to the mortuary,” she said.
“I still don’t understand what he was doing at the underpass. He was supposed to be at his office. It’s very unusual because he never leaves his workplace like this. We don’t believe he came to the underpass to take selfies or shoot videos,” said Preeti, adding that her brother bought a new mobile phone just two days ago.
Police said they were scanning the CCTV cameras to ascertain when and how Chautala reached the underpass and if anyone else was accompanying him.