Mother and Son Die After Falling into Drain Amid Heavy Rainfall on Ghaziabad-Delhi Border

On Wednesday, July 31, a tragic incident occurred on the Ghaziabad-Delhi border during a bout of heavy rainfall, resulting in the death of a mother and her son after they fell into an open drain. The incident has highlighted significant jurisdictional issues between the police forces of the two states, which led to a delayed rescue operation and ultimately, the deaths of the two victims.

The mother and son were walking on a road when they slipped and fell into a drain that was obscured by accumulated rainwater. Despite immediate efforts to rescue them, the delay caused by jurisdictional disputes exacerbated the situation. Hours later, the bodies were retrieved from the drain.

Upon receiving information about the incident, the Ghaziabad police promptly arrived at the scene and initiated a rescue operation. However, the Delhi police also claimed jurisdiction over the incident site, leading to a heated argument between the two forces. The disagreement significantly delayed the rescue efforts. According to reports, the victims were residents of Ghaziabad.

Jurisdictional Dispute Delays Rescue Operation

The incident occurred late in the evening, and the rescue efforts were promptly started by the Ghaziabad police. However, the Delhi police soon arrived and insisted that the incident site fell within their jurisdiction. The resulting standoff between the two police forces led to several hours of delay. Eventually, the Delhi police acknowledged that the site was within their jurisdiction, allowing the Ghaziabad police to recover the bodies and hand them over to the Delhi police.

The tragic incident has sparked outrage and highlighted the critical need for clear jurisdictional protocols to ensure prompt and effective emergency responses. Both police forces have been criticized for their handling of the situation, and calls for a review of inter-state coordination during emergencies have intensified.