Toddler drowns in water tank at Faridabad home

Gurgaon: A two-and-a-half-year-old boy died after accidentally falling into an uncovered water tank at his rented accommodation in Sainik Colony, Faridabad, on Saturday evening. The child, Hardeep, had accompanied his parents to a nearby construction site earlier in the day, where they work as labourers. His father, Raju, and mother, Kasi Bai, live in a rented room in Sainik Colony with their six children. According to police, Hardeep was brought back home by his siblings in the evening while his parents continued working at the site. At the premises, a water tank meant for tenants' use had been constructed, with its manhole reportedly covered by a piece of plywood. While the children were playing in the area, the toddler is believed to have gone near the tank and fallen inside after the plywood cover shifted. When the parents returned later that evening, they found the child missing. The family, along with neighbours, searched the locality but could not trace him. During a late-night search, Hardeep's body was discovered inside the water tank. On receiving information, a police team reached the spot, took the body into custody and sent it for post-mortem examination. "Prima facie, the incident appears to be accidental. Further investigation is underway," a police officer said. Inquest proceedings under Section 194 of the BNSS have been initiated, and the body was handed over to the family after the post-mortem.