New Delhi: A 54-year-old businessman died after falling into an open drain while returning from his evening walk in east Delhi’s Mayur Vihar area, police said today.
The incident took place in a park last evening. The victim, Anil Kumar Gupta, was rescued from the manhole by passers-by after hearing his cries of help, they said.
He was taken to a nearby hospital but they refused to admit him. The victim was then rushed to another medical centre where he was declared brought dead, police said.
According to locals, water-logging around the park had made the area slippery.
The body has been sent for postmortem, police said, adding the matter is being probed.
The victim’s family members, however, accused the Public Works Department (PWD) of negligence.
A PWD official on condition of anonymity said the drains are covered with concrete slabs, but some spaces are left open for cleaning.
He said the slabs were often broken and the iron rods removed and sold by drug addicts.
“We have given complaints to the police in this regard several times,” the official said.
Reacting on the incident, Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari accused the PWD and Delhi Jal Board of negligence and urged Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal to provide appropriate compensation to the affected family.
—PTI