A tragic incident in Ahmedabad has triggered an intensive multi-agency search after a roughly 10-year-old visually impaired girl fell into an uncovered, fast-flowing drain. As of October 11, rescue personnel have found no sign of the child, prompting the fire brigade department to expand its search perimeter toward the Sabarmati River after more than 12 hours of non-stop operations.
Fall Occurred Near Dev Hotel While Mother Paid Auto Fare
According to J. B. Agrawat, inspector at Narol police station, the tragedy unfolded on the evening of October 10 close to Dev Hotel, located near the Pirana waste dump site. The young girl had been traveling with her mother. When the auto-rickshaw halted and the mother paused to hand over the fare, the child stepped out of the three-wheeler and inadvertently slipped into the several-feet-deep open drain.
Rushing Waters Hamper Fire Brigade Rescue Efforts
Officials from the fire brigade department confirmed that the drain lacked any safety covering and was carrying a strong torrent of wastewater. M. D. Pandey, fire brigade officer from the Danapith station, noted that firefighters began their rescue mission shortly after receiving an emergency call around 4:15 pm on October 10. The fierce current running through the drainage channel has severely impeded search efforts.
Rescue authorities fear that the rapid flow carried the girl far downstream through the drainage network. Consequently, rescue teams have pushed their search downstream toward the Sabarmati River in hopes of locating her.
