After 45 hours, search for toddler called off

MUMBAI: The search operation for Divyansh Singh, the toddler who went missing on late Wednesday night after falling into an open drain stopped at 7 pm on Friday. A search operation of 45 hours from the roadside gutters to the creek that involved Fire Brigade teams, BMC staff, Police and NDRF proved unsuccessful.

P.S Rahangdale, chief fire officer, said, “Thorough search was carried out from Ambedkar Nagar, Italian Company to Mind Space creek and also from both side of the nullahs within 3 to 4 km distance. Fire brigade personnel  went in search of the boy inside the nullah, however, he was not found.”

The police also detained a protester, citing a threat to law and order. The authorities had assured the masses that they were doing their best to find the boy.

Activist Shravan Tiwari said, “We are aware that the search operation was just for name sakes as only three to four people were searching in an eight to 10 km stretch. In the past two days, I have been detained thrice by the Dindoshi police with being detained twice on Friday.” Mr Tiwari further said that police said that an FIR would be registered after three days of the incident which didn't make sense since now it is understood that the child is lost and might have died. He claimed that it was a case of pure negligence and FIR against BMC officers under IPC section 304 should be lodged.

The residents of Goregaon will now carry a protest on Saturday at 3.30 pm from Ambedkar chowk to BMC office demanding the resignation of the city's mayor while also demanding for an FIR to be registered against the BMC officers.

The activist slamming the NDRF team said that the team came for a period of two hours as a formality and left soon after. He further claimed that BMC’s claim of NDRF being involved in the search operation through out was false.

Mayor of Mumbai, Vishwanath Mahadeshwar, said, “I had visited the spot on Thursday morning and noticed that the entire drain was not open but only a corner side where the child, unfortunately fell. I have asked the BMC commissioner to conduct an investigation into finding whose negligence caused the damage since the ward officials and the local corporator are responsible enough.”

Rrain cover stolen, BMC registers plaint with cops

In a twist to the recent incident where a child fell into a roadside drain which wasn’t covered, the BMC itself Friday registered a police complaint that the drain cover had been stolen. The move is being seen as the municipal corporation pinning the blame on local residents for removing the drain cover due to which the child fell into the drain.

“The BMC has lodged a complaint that the cement drain cover has been stolen. At times, locals remove drain covers during heavy rainfall to avoid water logging in the area. We will record statements, check CCTV footage of all parties before reaching any conclusion,” said deputy commissioner of police (zone 12), Vinaykumar Rathod.

Meanwhile, Suraj Singh, father of Divya-nsh Singh, the child who fell into the drain, has been saying since Wednesday night that he himself would place a wooden plank on the drain and had complained several times to the BMC regarding the uncovered drain.

“Why has the police detained activist Shravan Tiwari? They are pressuring us not to protest. I have lost my child but the authorities are not taking responsibility,” said Suraj Singh.

Mr Tiwari said, “The police is not registering a FIR against the civic administration for their negligence. The local corporator, too, has accepted that he received a complaint about the uncovered drain so he should be punished too.”

However, DCP Rathod said, “Yes, in the morning we had called him anticipating a law and order situation. On Thursday too, they attempted a raasta roko. We have not detained him but are recording their statements (complaints). We took Divyansh Singh’s family to all the search operation spots up to the creek. They might still have apprehensions so we have asked them to note down complaints to take necessary actions.”