Minor girls die after getting drowned at temporary drainage in Modinagar

According to police, the two girls were identified as Preeti, 6, and her cousin, Aanchal, 9, who went out to play around 3pm and could not be located thereafter. After they did not return, their families started search with the help of locals.

Two minor girls, both cousins, died on Thursday afternoon while they were riding bicycles and slipped into a temporary drainage area in Devendrapuri locality of Modinagar town. Police said that bodies of both the girls were spotted and brought out of water around 7pm.

Police said that bodies of both the girls were spotted and brought out of water around 7pm. (Sourced)

According to police, the two girls were identified as Preeti, 6, and her cousin, Aanchal, 9, who went out to play around 3pm and could not be located thereafter. After they did not return, their families started search with the help of locals and some of them spotted slippers in the water at the temporary drainage area.

“They were playing and riding bicycles when they probably slipped into the drainage area. The bodies were fished out from the water. The temporary drainage has come up over a vacant plot of land and receives water from nearby households. Over a period of time the locals had also taken away earth from the plot which led to a big depression. Thereafter the depression was filled with drainage and rain water,” said Neeraj Kumar Jadaun, superintendent of police (rural).

According to officials, Preeti’s father Dharam Vir Singh works as a driver while Chanchal is native of Simbhaoli in Hapur and her parents work in Surat, Gujarat. Since childhood she had been staying at Singh’s house. Chanchal was a student of class 3 while Preeti studied in class 1 in a private school.

“It is a private land and spread over an area of about 20-25 bighas. It has a depression which is about 15-20 feet in width. The girls could not come out as the depth is about 5-7 feet. Their bicycles were recovered along with the bodies. Their families have denied conducting an autopsy and also not willing to lodge an FIR. We are taking this in writing from them,” said Uma Kant Tiwari, tehsildar of Modinagar who went to the spot for inspection.

Meanwhile, the locals protested and raised slogans against the administration and alleged that nothing was done to fill the depression. District magistrate Dr Ajay Shankar Pandey did not take calls despite repeated attempts.

“I have asked the Nagar Palika officials to fill the depression which receives water from nearby households. The family has denied post mortem. However, I have asked police to inquire whether there was any foul play behind the incident. The locals were also alleging role of child lifters as rumours are already spreading about the issue. I will speak to the district magistrate if any compensation can be given to the families,” said Dr Manju Shiwach, the MLA from Modinagar.

The incident came close to another similar incident in Loni on June 27 when three boys, Ahishek, 9, and his two neighbourhood friends, Altmash, 9, and Arhaan, 11, had gone near the water body and went missing. Their bodies were later fished out of the water-filled trench by police and a team of National Disaster Response Force.

An inspection report by Loni sub-divisional magistrate said that drainage and water from a nearby highrise was flowing into the trench and three boys slipped before getting drowned. Based on the report, the Loni police had filed an FIR against the officials of the builder’s firm.