Odisha: Minor girl succumbs to injuries after falling into box drain in Cuttack

Cuttack: A 16-year-old girl, who had sustained grievous injuries after a decades-old iron bridge collapsed earlier in the day at Gamadia locality of Kesarpur under Puri Ghat police limits in Cuttack City, died while undergoing treatment at SCB Medical College and Hospital (SCBMCH).

The deceased minor girl has been identified as N Mohini from Nua Rausapatana in the city. She was a Plus II student of Emarti Devi Women’s College here, a senior police official said.

According to an eyewitness, the fatal mishap took place as the bridge built on two box drains along a sewage canal in the city was in dilapidated condition. The girl was passing through the bridge when it collapsed leading to the mishap. She had got trapped between the iron pipes of the bridge.

Despite being informed, neither the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) authorities, which is looking after its maintenance, nor the local administration had reached the spot on time for long hours to carry out a rescue operation, some local residents alleged.

Locals had tried to rescue the minor girl but failed. A vehicle-mounted crane was later pressed into service. The injured girl was previously rescued in critical condition after striving for around 45 minutes and after the iron pipes were uprooted. Following the rescue, the girl was rushed to SCBMCH in Cuttack for treatment, but could not be saved.

“A mishap occurred due to the apathetic attitude of the local administration,” the locals rued.