Karachi (Web Desk): The dead body of a three-year-old boy, who fell into a manhole near Nipa Chowrangi in Karachi’s Gulshan-e-Iqbal area, was found on Monday.
According to rescue officials, the child’s body was recovered 14 hours later from a drainage channel nearly one kilometre away from the accident site.
The tragic incident occurred late Sunday around 11pm when Ibrahim accompanied his parents to a departmental store for shopping. During the visit, he ran after his father and accidentally slipped into the uncovered manhole.
Rescue teams launched an immediate operation, but the initial efforts failed, prompting local residents to step in and begin digging on their own in hopes of finding the child.
As hours passed and the search continued, frustration grew among residents. When Ibrahim’s body was eventually pulled from the drainage channel, grief turned into anger. People took to the streets, burning tyres and blocking traffic, while some protesters damaged media vehicles and confronted reporters present at the scene.
Speaking to the media, Ibrahim’s father expressed deep disappointment, claiming rescue teams did not arrive for nearly three hours after the accident, forcing the family and volunteers to begin digging without official assistance.
The child’s grandfather, overwhelmed with sorrow, urged authorities to thoroughly investigate the incident and implement measures to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
The heartbreaking incident has reignited public outrage over Karachi’s open manholes, faulty drainage infrastructure, and broader safety hazards in residential neighbourhoods, with citizens demanding immediate corrective action across the city.
Earlier on Monday, Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab said that an official inquiry has been launched after a three-year-old boy fell into an open manhole near a departmental store at Nipa Chowrangi. He said rescue teams were actively working to locate the child.
Speaking at the KMC Sports Complex, Wahab expressed deep sympathy for the child’s family. “My thoughts are with the parents during this extremely difficult time,” he said, noting with concern that some were attempting to politicize the tragedy.
The mayor added that CCTV footage from the store was being obtained and that rescue operations were ongoing. “The search continues, and we will provide every possible assistance to the family,” he said.
Wahab explained that the boy’s father had raised concerns over the unavailability of machinery late at night, prompting the Karachi Water & Sewerage Corporation to conduct an investigation.
The Karachi mayor assured that any officer found responsible for negligence would face strict action.