Three Arrested After Woman, Infant Die Falling into Open Sewer Near Data Darbar

UPDATED

LAHORE (MNN) ; Police on Thursday arrested three suspects named in a first information report after a woman and her infant daughter lost their lives by falling into an under-construction sewer line near the historic Data Darbar shrine.

According to officials, the FIR was registered at Bhati Gate police station under Section 322 of the Pakistan Penal Code on the complaint of the victim’s father, Sajid. The complainant nominated the project manager, safety in-charge and site in-charge of the construction project, accusing them of criminal negligence for leaving a manhole uncovered.

The FIR stated that the family was informed about the incident through a phone call received by the complainant’s son from his brother-in-law. A lengthy rescue operation was launched soon after the incident, and the bodies were recovered on Thursday.

Rescue officials said the body of the 24-year-old woman, identified as Saadia, was found on Outfall Road, approximately three kilometres from the site of the incident. The body of her 10-month-old daughter, Rida, was recovered nearly eight kilometres away near Saggian, indicating the force of the rainwater flow.

The tragic incident occurred at around 7:30pm on Wednesday as the family was returning after visiting Data Darbar. The victim’s husband, Ghulam Murtaza, told police that while the family was boarding a rickshaw, a sudden push caused his wife and child to fall into an open manhole. Both were swept away by fast-moving rainwater.

Rescue 1122 said the search operation continued for about 17 hours before both bodies were located. Post-mortem examinations were carried out at the Mayo Hospital morgue.

Punjab Chief Secretary and Inspector General of Police visited the morgue to offer condolences to the bereaved family. Police described the incident as an accident and said investigations were ongoing.

Meanwhile, CCTV footage showing the family heading towards the site after visiting the shrine has surfaced and is being examined as part of the investigation.

Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz took strict notice of the incident and ordered a formal inquiry under the supervision of the additional chief secretary, directing authorities to submit a detailed report.

Following preliminary findings, Tepa Director Shabbir Hussain, Project Director Zahid Abbas and Deputy Director Shabbir Ahmed have been suspended. Officials said further action would be taken if negligence is established during the inquiry.

EARLIER: Rescue 1122 on Thursday confirmed the recovery of the body of a young girl who had fallen into an open sewer line with her mother a day earlier in Lahore.

According to a statement issued by Rescue 1122, its “diving team had recovered the girl’s body from Saggian”, located about five kilometres from Bhatti Chowk, the site of the incident.

Earlier, Rescue 1122 spokesperson Farooq Ahmed said the department “received a call at 7:32pm on Wednesday about a mother and daughter falling into an open sewer line”. He added that the rescue effort continued “without any breaks”.

Meanwhile, in the early hours of Thursday, Lahore Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Operations Faisal Kamran told reporters that the mother’s body had been recovered from the disposal station on Outfall Road.

Responding to questions about reports suggesting that the water flow was insufficient to carry people away, Kamran said, “You should also look at the time difference. When it happened, the water flow was fast; those are peak hours.” He explained that the flow reduced later in the night.

When asked whether the family would file a case, the DIG said, “Whatever the family says and whatever their opinion is, we will act according to that.”

A day earlier, Lahore Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Operations Mohammad Tauqir told Dawn that the woman’s husband had been taken into custody. He said the man had informed authorities that his wife and young daughter fell into the sewer line at around 7:30pm.

The SSP added that the husband was detained based on a statement from the woman’s father, who claimed the couple had been experiencing marital issues for several months. He further said the father had raised suspicions about the husband’s role, noting that he was the one who contacted Rescue 1122 to report the incident.

Last month, a similar tragedy occurred in Punjab’s Bahawalpur district, where a seven-year-old boy lost his life after falling into an open manhole in Dhanote town near Lodhran city.