7-year-old boy goes missing in Delhi, body found in open drain hours later

New Delhi: A seven-year-old boy went missing in northwest Delhi’s Ashok Vihar and his body was found hours later in a drain, with his mother alleging on Monday he lost his life because the drain was open, and he would go there to relieve himself as the area lacks proper toilet facility.

Police said Prince was playing near his house on Sunday afternoon when he went missing.

They said on Monday that they have registered an FIR under sections of negligence. Prince’s family alleged they lost their son as the drain remain opened. They also said that their son would often relieve himself near the drain as there was no proper toilet in their locality.

The family filed a missing persons complaint on Sunday and a search was conducted, Deputy Commissioner of Police (northwest) Jitendra Meena said.

While the search was on, someone informed the police that Prince was seen playing near a drain which was not covered.

The body was recovered from the drain Sunday evening, Meena said, adding the body has been handed over to his family after portmortem and an FIR has been registered at the Wazirpur Police station against unnamed persons under sections related to negligence.

Prince is survived by his parents, who are labourers, and a younger brother. They live at the JJ cluster of A Block in Wazirpur Industrial area. Prince was a class two student of a government school.

The family members have blamed the civic authorities for the death of their son.

His mother told the media on Monday that she lost him because the drain was open. She said her son would often go to relieve himself near the drain as there was no proper toilet facility in their locality.

Police said it was a five-feet-deep drain and they had to take the help of divers to retrieve the body.

The police are also probing if the boy was pushed into the drain by someone or he fell accidently, officials said.