A tragic incident in Ahmedabad claimed the life of a four-year-old boy on Thursday morning after a heavy manhole cover slab at a drainage project site collapsed on him. The event has sparked outrage and allegations of gross negligence against the civic authorities.
Details of the Tragic Incident
The accident occurred at approximately 8:30 am on Thursday in the narrow lanes of the Sanjaynagar slums, located within the Rakhial area. The site was part of an ongoing drainage pipeline project. According to police reports, the young victim was playing near the construction area when the manhole cover slab gave way and fell on him.
The impact caused severe injuries to the child's head and chest. He was immediately rushed to the city's Civil Hospital for emergency treatment. Despite medical efforts, the boy could not be saved. He was declared dead at around 12 noon while undergoing treatment.
Community Outcry and Demand for Justice
The news of the child's death brought local councillor Iqbal Shaikh and several social workers to the postmortem department of the Civil Hospital. Expressing anguish over the preventable loss, Shaikh highlighted the sheer carelessness that led to the fatality.
He stated that a formal representation was made to the police investigation officer, urging legal action. "Considering this incident as the result of serious negligence and carelessness, a representation was made to the police investigation officer (IO) to file a complaint against the AMC officers responsible under BNS Section 106(1)," Shaikh said. The section pertains to causing death by negligence.
Alongside the demand for legal accountability, there is a strong call for the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) to provide appropriate compensation to the grieving family for their irreplaceable loss.
A Grim Reminder of Safety Lapses
This heartbreaking event underscores a critical failure in enforcing basic safety protocols at public work sites, especially in densely populated residential areas. The incident raises serious questions about:
- Site Security: Why was the hazardous site accessible to children?
- Contractor Accountability: Who was responsible for ensuring the cover slab was secure?
- Civic Oversight: What measures does the AMC have to routinely inspect such sites for safety hazards?
The death of the child in the telephone exchange lane of Sanjaynagar is a stark reminder that negligence in public infrastructure projects can have fatal consequences. It has ignited demands for a thorough probe and stricter enforcement of safety norms to prevent such tragedies in the future.
