6-year-old girl drowns in Marathahalli rajakaluve

A six-year-old girl allegedly drowned in a rajakaluve close to a prominent apartment building in Marathahalli on Friday afternoon.

Fire and emergency personnel who launched a massive search operation to locate the body were forced to abort the effort due to poor light.

The police said Bhoomika Kuli, daughter of Nithyananda, housekeeping staff at a nearby tech park, was living with her parents close to the stormwater drain.

Preliminary investigations revealed that Bhoomika was playing outside their house at 2 pm and accidentally fell into the drain.

Labourers staying in a nearby shed heard a loud noise and rushed to find the girl.

Failing to locate her, they called up the jurisdictional Marathahalli police and the fire and emergency officials.

Sources told DH that the drain is filled with silt and garbage and has not been cleaned in recent times.

Without a retaining wall, it only had a temporary chain link fence as protection. “The chain was falling apart in many places. Locals, especially the labourers, roam close to the edge of the drain,” a local said.

A senior officer said the team searched for the girl till late evening but had to give up the search as the light became poor.

“It is quite possible that the water current could have swept the girl away. The operation will resume on Saturday morning,” the officer said.

The girl’s parents hail from Assam.