Five-year-old Muhammad Hussain died on Tuesday after falling into an open manhole in Lahore’s Sundar area. Police stated that he accidentally fell into the uncovered manhole while playing in the street, leading to a public outcry over civic safety.
Rescue teams rushed to the scene and managed to pull the child from the manhole before taking him to Indus Hospital. However, despite medical efforts, Hussain succumbed to his injuries upon arrival at the hospital.
The incident reignited concerns about the city’s infrastructure, particularly in areas frequented by children. Local residents demanded immediate action against those responsible for maintaining the manholes and expressed their desire for all exposed manholes in the area to be covered.
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz took notice of the tragedy and called for an immediate report from relevant authorities. She also extended her condolences to Hussain’s family, highlighting the ongoing issues with public safety and civic infrastructure in Lahore.
This latest incident has drawn attention back to earlier accidents in the area, including a woman and her 10-month-old daughter who died after falling into an uncovered sewer line near Data Darbar this year. The victims were reportedly from Shorkot and had come to Lahore for sightseeing when they fell into the drain during development work by TEPA.