Negligence charge against BMC after Kurla boy drowns

A five-year old boy drowned after falling into a pit dug for the construction of a public toilet in Kurla's Nehru Nagar on Thursday morning. The police have registered a case of death due to negligence against a contractor of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

The deceased has been identified as Mohammad Ali Sayed Ahmed. According to police, the pit, which measured 25x15 ft was dug by the BMC's contractor to construct a public toilet for slum dwellers of Hanuman Nagar. BMC had given the contract to M/S B Narayan Associates.

"Ahmed was playing near the construction site at around 10am on Thursday. He went near the pit to catch a glimpse of fish, and slipped inside and drowned," said an officer from Nehru Nagar police station. According to locals, the pit was dug a month ago and work came to a halt 5-6 days back. "There was no proper barricading at the site," said a resident.

Santosh Ingole, who lives behind the construction site, saw Ahmed drowning and crying out for help.

"I immediately shouted for help and rushed to the spot. I jumped in to save Ahmed, but he was in too deep. A few locals joined in the rescue operation," Ingole said.

Ahmed's father, Sayed Rashid, a rickshaw driver said, "I was out when the incident took place. I got a call at around 11 am. When I reached the hospital he was admitted to, I was informed that he had passed away. The contractor is responsible for my son's death."