3 children drown in waterlogged pit in Rajasthan, tragic incident leaves village in mourning

JAISALMER: In a heartbreaking incident in the Pachpadra area of Balotra district on Tuesday, three young children lost their lives after drowning in a waterlogged pit filled with sewage water and mud. The tragedy has cast a shadow of grief across the entire region, leaving the local community in shock and mourning.

Upon receiving information about the incident, Pachpadra police reached the spot and, with the help of local residents, recovered the bodies and shifted them to the mortuary of Pachpadra Hospital. Police have begun investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident after gathering information from the victims’ families.

According to reports, the children were playing near a sewage drainage area when they accidentally fell into a pit filled with water and sludge. As soon as locals learned about the incident, a search operation was launched. Despite extensive efforts, the children could only be pulled out after they had already drowned.

Balotra SDM Rajesh Kumar said that at around 4 p.m. on Tuesday, authorities received information that three children had fallen into a water- and mud-filled pit near the Bhil settlement in Mandapura village. Police and administrative officials rushed to the location and used a JCB machine to drain the water from the pit. The children were then taken to Pachpadra Community Health Centre, where doctors declared them dead.

The deceased have been identified as:
Kishan (8), son of Girdhariram Bhil
Sohan (7), son of Khetaram Bhil
Vikas (9), son of Govindram Bhil
Gram Panchayat Administrator Dalaram Prajapat stated that the children had been playing with a tyre near their homes during the afternoon. While playing, they wandered to a vacant plot located about 100 metres away, where a pit had been dug and had accumulated rainwater and mud.

The children reportedly slipped into the pit and drowned. When the children could not be found by around 4 p.m., their families began searching for them. During the search, a pair of slippers was spotted floating in the water, raising fears that the children had drowned. Police and administration officials were immediately informed, and a large number of villagers gathered at the site.

Using a JCB machine, authorities drained the water from the pit, and with the assistance of villagers, the bodies of all three children were recovered later in the evening.

The incident has left the entire area in deep sorrow. A large number of villagers and local residents gathered at both the hospital and the accident site. Residents have urged the administration to strengthen safety measures around drainage channels, open pits, and waterlogged areas to prevent similar tragedies in the future.

Pachpadra Station House Officer Geeta Kumari said that the bodies have been kept in the mortuary and further action will be taken after receiving a formal complaint from the families. The matter is under investigation, and necessary legal procedures are being carried out.