Boy falls into garbage dump pit, dies
A 14-year-old boy died after falling into a garbage pit at the Deonar dumping ground on Saturday. The victim, Bablu Tulsiram, a resident of Rafique Nagar, had entered the premises with four of his friends to collect waste that can be sold as scrap in the market.
“Bablu would usually go to collect garbage in the evening with his father, but on Saturday, his father left early,” said senior inspector Dhanraj Gaikwad, Shivaji Nagar police station. “The incident took place at around 8.30 pm. He stepped on a garbage mound without realising that it was a hollow pit.”
Bablu suffocated to death after falling into the pit. Rag pickers who witnessed the incident rushed to his aid and pulled him out. Bablu was then taken to the Rajawadi Hospital, where he was declared dead before admission.
“Bablu would usually go to collect garbage in the evening with his father, but on Saturday, his father left early,” said senior inspector Dhanraj Gaikwad, Shivaji Nagar police station. “The incident took place at around 8.30 pm. He stepped on a garbage mound without realising that it was a hollow pit.”
Bablu suffocated to death after falling into the pit. Rag pickers who witnessed the incident rushed to his aid and pulled him out. Bablu was then taken to the Rajawadi Hospital, where he was declared dead before admission.
Like Bablu, many children in the city aim at earning an average income of Rs 100 per day by selling around 10 kg of garbage, sorted from waste that they collect from dumps. Bablu’s father and uncle too, are involved in the same work. The police have recorded the statement of Bablu’s father and registered a case of accidental death. “This is second such incident in the recent past. What is the security at the dumping grounds doing? I will demand that an FIR be registered against United Phosphorus Limited for negligence,” said Rais Shaikh, corporator, ward 132. UPL Ltd holds the contract for the maintenance of the dumping ground.
