15-year-old boy goes missing after falling into open drain in southeast Delhi

A 15-year-old boy went missing after he allegedly fell into an open drain while trying to retrieve a kite in Jasola village of souteast Delhi, prompting a multi-agency search operation, officials said.

The incident took place around 11 am on Saturday when Mithun, a Class 8 student, was trying to catch a kite near the open drain, they said.

According to police, another boy who witnessed the incident informed the family, following which the matter was reported to the authorities.

Police and rescue teams, including personnel from the Delhi Fire Service and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), launched a search operation in the drain. Divers searched the area for several hours on Saturday but could not locate the teenager.

The search operation was called off late Saturday night and resumed on Sunday, with multiple teams deployed to trace the boy.

Mithun’s family, originally from Uttar Pradesh, lives in the area and works as labourers in Delhi, according to relatives.

Kusum, a relative, said Mithun went missing around 11 am on Saturday and the family searched for him throughout the day.

“He had been trying to catch a kite when he fell into the open drain. Another boy who witnessed the incident alerted the family,” she told PTI.

Family members said Mithun was 15 and studying in Class 8 and was good in studies.

Relatives remained at the site as rescue teams continued their search for the teenager.

The authorities were making efforts to locate Mithun and recover him, while the circumstances surrounding the incident were being ascertained.