7-year-old drowns in Ghaziabad waterlogged pit, a day after toddler's death

Heavy rainfall continued to wreak havoc across Ghaziabad, with two children losing their lives in separate drowning incidents within 24 hours amid widespread waterlogging caused by the ongoing monsoon. The latest tragedy occurred on Friday, when a seven-year-old boy drowned in a rainwater-filled pit near Loni, a day after a three-year-old girl died in a waterlogged lane in the city.

The latest victim, identified as Polu, lived with his family in a slum settlement near Milak village under the Ankur Vihar police station limits. According to police, the boy had been missing since Thursday evening. Despite an overnight search by his family, his body was found on Friday afternoon in a pit filled with rainwater that had reportedly been dug for road construction.

The child was rushed to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared him dead. Police have initiated an investigation into the incident.

Local residents alleged that the unattended construction pit, filled with rainwater following continuous showers, became a death trap. The incident left the victim's family devastated and sparked fresh concerns over public safety during the monsoon.

SECOND PITFALL DEATH IN 24 HOURS

The tragedy comes just a day after a three-year-old girl drowned in a waterlogged lane in Ghaziabad's Vijay Nagar area. The child reportedly slipped into accumulated rainwater outside her home, triggering protests by residents who blamed poor drainage and civic negligence for the incident.

The two deaths have intensified concerns over the impact of heavy rainfall across Ghaziabad and the National Capital Region (NCR). Persistent showers have caused severe waterlogging in several areas, disrupting traffic and affecting normal life.

Heavy rain also led to the collapse of a road in Ghaziabad's Vasundhara Sector, damaging vehicles parked nearby. No injuries were reported in the incident.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast continued heavy rainfall over parts of Delhi-NCR in the coming days. With more rain expected, residents have urged authorities to improve drainage, secure open construction sites and take immediate preventive measures to avoid further tragedies during the monsoon season.

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