KOHIMA — A minor was trapped in a drain at Old NST Kohima Main Town and was rescued after an hour-long operation on Monday.
According to an official source, the boy got trapped under the pavement slabs while playing with his friends. However, other sources suggest that the child slipped and fell into the drain while collecting bottles and other items.
An eyewitness and one of the first responders to the situation, who witnessed the incident between 7:30 and 8:00 am, estimated that the child might have been stuck for over two hours. Prior to the arrival of the police and the disaster team, the public made efforts to rescue the child.
Confirming the incident, Deputy Commissioner and chairman of District Disaster Management Authority, Kumar Ramnikant, informed reporters that information about the incident was received at 9:15 am, and a team from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) reached the site at 9:35 am.
After an hour of rescue operation, they were able to retrieve the boy unharmed. However, the traumatised boy was sent to a private hospital in Kohima immediately. He was later shifted to a government hospital where he is undergoing medical checkup. The child was handed over to his uncle, the DC said.
There was no physical harm to the boy, but the medical report is awaited. The authorities are yet to speak with the boy as he is under observation. Once he recovers from the trauma, they will be able to determine the actual cause of the incident.
The DC and DDMA chairman was reportedly informed that the boy was playing with some of his friends and was crossing the drainage from one side to the other when he got trapped.
Stating that the drainage area is not a place to play, he said that the concerned department has been informed that there should be no open drainage in that area.
He added that it is yet to be established whether the child was abused by his guardian. The Child Welfare Committee and District Child Protection Unit Kohima were informed, and they are investigating. If abuse is confirmed, necessary actions will be taken according to the law. However, there is no confirmation in this regard at the moment, he said.
A traffic police officer also informed reporters that they received a report of a child getting stuck around 8 am and rushed to the spot. Upon reaching the scene, they found two children attempting to rescue the trapped child, but they were unsuccessful as the opening was small.
The disaster management team, SDRF, and Assam Rifles were alerted, and after drilling the pavement, the child was rescued. It was reported that the child entered the drainage from the outlet on the other end and could not find a way out as it was dark inside.
