A heart-wrenching tragedy struck Lalaria village in Berasia tehsil near Bhopal, on Sunday, plunging the community into grief. Tohid, a 13-year-old son of Shambhu Khan, drowned in a village pond while bathing with friends, leaving the village in shock. The incident occurred around 3 pm on Sunday when Tohid, unfamiliar with swimming, ventured into deeper waters and could not resurface. His friends, gripped by fear, remained silent and did not inform anyone. When Tohid failed to return home by late evening, his worried family began searching the village and questioned his friends, uncovering the tragic truth, which sparked panic in the community.

 

Acting swiftly, SDM Ashutosh Sharma dispatched tehsildar and administrative officials to the site and summoned a specialised rescue team from Bhopal. A search operation, supported by local villagers, was launched immediately. SDM Sharma personally monitored the situation throughout the night, hoping to rescue Tohid alive. Despite relentless efforts, Tohid’s body was recovered from the pond around 1 pm on Monday. The recovery of Tohid’s body left villagers and onlookers in tears. SDM Sharma assured the grieving family of full support and issued directives to enhance safety measures around ponds to prevent such incidents in the future. The tragedy has underscored the urgent need for increased awareness and safety protocols near water bodies to protect children.