Delhi: 15-year-old falls into open drain in Jasola, rescue ops underway

Search Continues for 15-Year-Old Who Fell into Open Drain in Delhi's Jasola

A 15-year-old boy has been missing since Saturday morning after falling into an open drain in Delhi's Jasola area, prompting a multi-agency rescue operation that continued into Sunday. The teenager, identified as Mithun, a Class 8 student, was reportedly trying to retrieve a kite when he fell into the drain around 11 am, according to multiple reports.

The incident occurred in the Jasola village area of southeast Delhi. Mithun's maternal uncle, Shiva, told India Today that the boy was getting ready for school and wearing his uniform when he climbed up to grab a kite and lost his balance. "We were all at work, his parents included. He was ready for school and wearing his uniform when, on a whim, he climbed up to retrieve a kite and fell into the drain," Shiva said.

Another version of events, cited by Lokmat Times, quotes Mithun's elder brother, Joginder, saying his sister-in-law saw the boy fall and that he was swept away by a sudden rush of water. "My sister-in-law saw him fall, and the water came rushing and swept him away," Joginder told IANS. "No traces of him till now, when he fell down the waterflow was very fast and as we reach near the drain he was swept away."

The search operation was launched after the family alerted authorities. According to the Delhi Fire Service, information about the incident was received at 11:54 am on Saturday, and two fire tenders were dispatched to the spot. The operation involved teams from the Delhi Fire Service, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Delhi Police, and Boat Club, with divers deployed to search the drain and surrounding areas. The East Delhi district administration also joined the effort.

Despite a day-long search on Saturday, the boy was not located. The operation was called off late Saturday night and resumed on Sunday, according to The Tribune. Reports indicate that the search has been hampered by the physical condition of the drain. Republic World reported that the drain, which carries treated water from the Jasola sewage plant into the Agra Canal, is heavily silted and clogged with garbage. Narrow, congested lanes prevented the use of heavy machinery, and near Cribs Hospital, the drain runs completely underground, complicating access.

Mithun's father, Awadhesh Kumar, an auto-rickshaw driver, expressed anguish over the rescue efforts. He told India Today that divers arrived at the site but did not enter the drain, instead prodding the water with sticks from outside. Kumar said, "My son is 15 years old and studies in eighth grade. He fell into the drain at 11:00 AM on Saturday, but despite searching all day, he hasn't been found."

Mithun's mother, who was seen crying and pleading, said, "I don't want anything else; just give me my child." The family, originally from Uttar Pradesh, works as labourers in Delhi and remained at the site as the search continued.

The Tribune quoted a relative named Kusum, who said Mithun went missing around 11 am on Saturday and the family searched for him throughout the day. Another boy who witnessed the incident alerted the family, she said.

According to The Times of India, Mithun's father told reporters that the family was unsure how exactly the teenager fell into the drain but had been searching since the incident. Kumar said the drain was completely open.

The incident has raised concerns about the dangers posed by open, silted drains in densely populated neighbourhoods. As of Sunday, rescue teams were continuing their efforts to locate Mithun, with authorities saying they were making efforts to find and recover him while ascertaining the circumstances of the incident.