An eight-year-old boy lost his life after falling into a 20-foot-deep, water-filled pit at an SRA construction site in Mumbai's Malad area. The incident, which occurred in Kurar village, has sparked outrage among residents and raised serious questions about safety measures at the site.
Tragic incident while playing
Divyansh Maurya, a Class II student, had gone missing around 8 pm on Thursday while playing near his home. According to reports, he was trying to retrieve a ball that had fallen into the pit. CCTV footage reviewed by police shows the child attempting twice to recover the ball using a stick before losing balance and falling in.
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His family, along with neighbours and the Kurar police, searched through the night. His father, Rajesh Maurya, eventually found his body in the pit around 3 am on Friday.
Divyansh was taken to Shatabdi Hospital in Kandivali, where he was declared dead. His body was later sent to Siddharth Hospital in Goregaon for post-mortem.
Allegations of negligence
The incident has led to allegations of negligence against the developer. Police have registered an FIR under section 106(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for causing death by negligence against the site engineer and contractor of the project being carried out by M/s Mauli Sai Developers Pvt Ltd.
However, the family has demanded stricter action, including naming the builder directly in the FIR.
"The pit was left completely open. No barricades, no safety sheets, nothing. We lost our child because of their negligence. We want strict action against the builder," boy's uncle, Rameshwar Maurya, was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times.
Residents protest, raise safety concerns
The site is located between an under-construction building and an SRA structure, in an area where children often play. A local resident described the lane as a common play area, saying, "It's a dead-end lane where kids often play. Everyone knows it as 'bhoot galli'. This was really unexpected."
Tensions rose after residents noticed workers installing tin sheets around the pit following the incident, which locals alleged was an attempt to cover up lapses. The sheets were later removed by angry residents.
Authorities issue notice
Civic authorities confirmed that the project falls under the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA), which has issued a 48-hour show-cause notice to the developer and the project architect.
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The notice cited "gross negligence", highlighting the absence of barricades, safety personnel, restricted access and warning signs. Officials said strict action, including further legal steps, will follow if lapses are confirmed.
