Two children drowned when their bike along with their parents and another sibling fell into a drain in Faridabad on Thursday night, police said on Friday, adding that the others were rescued.
The accident took place near Tigaon bridge on Ballabgarh bypass road, where ongoing road construction has blocked part of the way, forcing commuters to use a poorly maintained stretch with a narrow footpath. The victims, too, were on this stretch and lost balance of the bike, plunging into the drain.
Dataram (single name), a resident of Rajiv Colony, was returning home from a wedding in Tigaon on his motorcycle, along with his wife Rajni and their three children — Sakshi, 8, Meenakshi, 6, and Nikhil, 4. As they reached the stretch near Tigaon bridge, Dataram lost balance due to poor road conditions, and the entire family, along with the bike, plunged into the drain.
Dataram and Rajni managed to reach the bank where locals who saw the accident dragged them to safety. Locals also quickly rescued Meenakshi. However, due to poor visibility and the force of the water, Sakshi and Nikhil could not be retrieved immediately and were swept away. By the time they were pulled out, they had drowned, police said, adding that the bodies were sent for an autopsy.
“Road construction is underway near Tigaon bridge on Ballabgarh bypass road. Due to this, commuters are forced to use a poorly maintained stretch with a narrow footpath. Dataram was attempting to navigate the bike along this narrow passage when he lost balance, leading to the tragic fall into the drain,” said Aman Yadav, assistant commissioner of police (crime).
Locals of the area expressed anger saying that the lack of barriers and streetlights near the bridge makes the area extremely dangerous, especially at night.
The police have registered a case and are investigating the circumstances surrounding the accident. Authorities are expected to review road safety conditions at the site following the fatal accident, officials said.
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