A six-year-old boy on Monday drowned in the Canal near Ichara, over which his family blocked the canal road near Muslim Town for two hours in protest over the rescue operation’s inefficiency.
According to details six-year-old Farhan from Faisalabad drowned in the Canal by accidentally slipping around noon. He was accompanied by his family who were visiting their relatives in Samanabad.
Farhan’s father Arif said that they came to the Canal due to power outages at home, but he had no idea he would lose his beloved son to the water. He said that the rescue team helped them but they did not comply with blocking the water flow which might have saved Farhan’s life.
Assistant Commissioner Shakeel Bahati said that they were trying their best to retrieve the body, which has not been found so far.
Previously on Sunday, another boy drowned in the canal at Thokar Niaz Baig. The police said that 12-year-old Adnan along with his friends was cooling off in the Canal when he drowned.
According to the report, despite his friends’ warning he dived into the deep section and consequently lost his life.
Rescue teams reached the spot, blocked the canal water and recovered his dead body after three hours.
A Rescue 1122 spokesman said that the dead body was shifted to JinnahHospital.
More reports of drowning incidents were received in the past few days: another boy drowned in the canal near JinnahHospital, and his body was shifted to the hospital from there. Further, 17-year-old Usman also drowned in the BRB Canal on Saturday, but his body has not been found yet.
The government has strictly banned bathing in the canal but no implementation has been observed.
The Irrigation Department took notice of these incidents and applied to higher authorities to implement Act 144 at the Canal.
