In a heart-wrenching incident that has shocked the town, a three-year-old boy lost his life after falling into an open soak pit on a private plot in Kondhali on Saturday evening. The child, identified as Labhansh Kuldeep Chandankhede, was playing near his house when the accident occurred around 6 pm. According to police, Labhansh was playing in an open ground in front of his home. While moving around, he entered a nearby vacant private plot where a deep soak pit had been dug. The pit, filled with muddy and dirty water, had no safety cover or fencing. The child reportedly slipped into it and drowned within minutes. When Labhansh did not return home, his father Kuldeep Chandankhede, along with neighbours, began searching for him.

 

During the search, he was found submerged in the pit. Residents quickly pulled him out and rushed him to the local Primary Health Centre. Due to his critical condition, doctors referred him to Nagpur, but he was declared dead on arrival at a private hospital. His body was later sent to the Government Medical College and Hospital for post-mortem. The incident has sparked anger among residents, who have accused the local administration of negligence. Locals claim that the soak pit was dug illegally on a private plot in the Shikshak Vasahat area without following safety norms. They alleged that no precautions were taken to prevent such an accident.

 

The child’s family has filed a complaint at Kondhali Police Station against the Ward No. 17 corporator and the owner of the vacant plot, holding them responsible for the incident. Police have begun an investigation based on the complaint. Meanwhile, Chief Officer Dr Narendra Bembre of the Kondhali Nagar Panchayat stated that the pit was not dug by the civic body and that the administration had not been informed about it. However, residents argue that the authorities cannot escape responsibility, as the incident occurred within their jurisdiction.