Boy dies after falling into open manhole in Pragathi Nagar

HYDERABAD: A four-year-old boy's life ended tragically in Pragati Nagar after he accidentally fell into an open manhole. The incident occurred in the Pragathi Nagar NRI Colony, where the young boy was playing near his home on Tuesday.

Around 11:30 am, Mithun was playing on the street when he strayed too close to an open manhole. The manhole led directly to the Turka Cheruvu, a pond that was inundated due to heavy rains in the city on Tuesday.

Tragically, Mithun was swept away by the swift and powerful currents of the pond. His parents, realizing he was missing, launched a search about an hour later. Their shock deepened when they reviewed the CCTV footage, which showed Mithun falling into the drain.

In response, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation's (GHMC) Director Of Enforcement, Vigilance & Disaster Management wing initiated a search operation. After scouring nearby drains, officials extended their efforts to the Turka Cheruvu, located approximately a kilometre away. Mithun's lifeless body was recovered from the pond towards dusk.

The boy's father Santosh Reddy, who worked in a pharmaceutical company, relocated from Suryapet five years ago. Muthun is his second son. This is the third such incident in this year where children fell into drains whenever in rained heavily in the city. In April, a 10-year-old girl fell into an open drain in Kalasiguda reportedly due to the negligence of the civic authorities. Next month, a six-year-old boy drowned after falling in an open pit in Jubilee Hills.