Three minors drown in plastic drum in Sahibabad, police order autopsy

Three minors, including a girl, allegedly drowned in mysterious circumstances in a plastic drum at a vacant plot in Sahibabad in Uttar Pradesh’s Ghaziabad district on Monday evening. Though police do not suspect any foul play, they have ordered a post-mortem examination.

The incident took place in Tulsi Niketan locality of Sahibabad.

Police have recommended a post-mortem examination of all the three victims, as it was a mystery as to how all three drowned inside a single drum.

The two deceased boys were identified as Nimai and Azan, aged one-and-half years and four years, respectively, and children of a man named Jiyaluddin. The third deceased was identified as five-year-old Salma, the daughter of Abdul.

Their families, who live nearby and work as labourers, claimed the children went to the vacant plot to play on Monday evening.

“During late evening, an old lady saw the drum and an inverted bucket of water. When she peeped inside the drum, she found the three children,” said Deepak Kumar, senior superintendent of police, Ghaziabad.

“We have ordered a post-mortem examination to find out the cause of death. According to initial investigation, it seems that the children climbed into the drum by stepping onto the bucket and entered the drum to bathe,” he said.

“We are not suspecting foul play because the plot is next to a residential area and not in an isolated location. The bodies had no external injuries to suspect any foul play. Still, the post-mortem examination will bring more details,” he added.

SSP Kumar and other officials visited the spot and inquired about the incident from locals and families of the deceased.

According to police sources, the drum had a capacity of 200 litres and was nearly half filled when the incident took place.