Greater Noida (Uttar Pradesh) [India], July 26 : A contractor has been arrested after a child died after falling into a pit dug for a water supply project inside Kala Dham Society in Greater Noida, police said on Sunday, even as the victim's family alleged negligence by the authorities.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Greater Noida) Ravi Shankar Nim said the incident occurred on Saturday evening within the limits of Knowledge Park Police Station.
"Yesterday, in the evening, information was received that a 6-year-old boy had died in a pit that was being dug for water supply within the boundary of Kaladham Society. An immediate case was registered based on the family's complaint, and one contractor involved in the incident has been arrested and sent to jail. Other legal proceedings are ongoing," the DCP told ANI.
The victim's father, Shivan, alleged negligence by the authorities and said his son was rushed to Yatharth Hospital after residents informed him about the incident.
"Regarding the child, I would like to say that he is no longer with us. I arrived home yesterday evening. I was just sitting there, and I got the news from the people living in the colony that something like this had happened. I immediately took him to Yatharth Hospital. Doctors tried hard, and after that, the child was declared dead," he said.
Alleging negligence, he added, "But it's sad that despite living in a good society, we had to suffer because of the negligence of the authorities... What mistake did we make that led to the loss of my child?"
Kala Dham Society Secretary Devendra Shukla said excavation work had been underway for several days to address irregular water supply. He said the location of the pit had not been communicated to him and alleged that established safety protocols had not been followed.
"The biggest negligence in this is on the part of the contractors or the authority that gave them the work. There are very strict protocols of the society that if a pit is being dug, a brigade should be deployed first," Shukla told ANI.