Delhi Child Dies After Falling Into Open Drain, Junior Engineer Sacked

A child on Tuesday died after falling into an open drain in north Delhi's Mukundpur area of Bhalswa Dairy, officials said, adding that a contractual was engineer dismissed soon after the incident.

The Irrigation and Flood Control (I&FC) Department removed the Junior Engineer with immediate effect following the incident.

Engineer Sacked, Departments Put On Notice

Action against the engineer was taken hours after the incident, officials said on Tuesday. Departments across Delhi have now been asked to identify open drains and other hazardous spots and fix them immediately.

Authorities have also ordered a citywide safety check to map risk points and carry out urgent repairs.

"Negligence Unacceptable," Says CM

Expressing deep sorrow over the tragic death, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said that the incident was "extremely distressing and alarming".

"Such negligence is unacceptable under any circumstances," she added.

The Chief Minister said public safety, especially of children, cannot be compromised and warned of strict action in cases of lapses.

Gupta, in her statement, assured that accountability will be fixed and those responsible will face action.

Expressing condolences to the family, the Chief Minister said the government stands with them. She added that preventing such incidents would be the "true tribute" to the child's memory.

Open Drains A Recurring Risk

The Mukundpur incident is the latest in a series of similar cases reported in the capital. In a recent incident in north Delhi, a young child died after falling into an open drain near her home, with residents alleging prior complaints had gone unaddressed.

Officials have flagged multiple such cases in recent years across parts of the city, pointing to gaps in maintenance and safety enforcement around uncovered drains.