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Meerut Driver Drowns After E-Rickshaw Plunges Into Open Drain
24 Jan
Summary
- An e-rickshaw driver died after falling into an open drain near Kath Ka Pul.
- Eyewitnesses cite the absence of a safety wall as the cause of the accident.
- Residents had repeatedly requested a boundary wall, but officials ignored them.
A 42-year-old e-rickshaw driver, Sunny, died on Friday evening near Kath Ka Pul on Abu Lane in Meerut after his vehicle plunged into an open drain. Eyewitnesses and local residents attributed the fatal accident to the lack of a safety wall along the drain, which runs adjacent to a steep, slippery road. Sunny's e-rickshaw reportedly lost control on a downward slope due to poor weather conditions and fell into the drain, trapping him under the vehicle.
Rescue efforts were delayed, with Sunny remaining trapped for approximately 30 minutes before the police arrived. He was eventually pulled out and taken to the district hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Sunny's family, who arrived at the hospital in distress, declined a post-mortem examination and legal proceedings, opting to take possession of the body.
Locals have expressed outrage, blaming administrative apathy from the Meerut Cantonment Board for the tragedy. Residents had repeatedly demanded the construction of a boundary wall along the drain, particularly given the frequent loss of vehicle control on the sloped stretch. Despite these prior warnings and past accidents, no safety measures were implemented, leading to this preventable death.
