6-yr-old drowns in open sump

A six -year-old boy drowned in a sump at his house in Harokyathanahalli on Tuesday.

The victim, Gowtham, was the younger son of Kumar Naik and Varadhamma, garment factory employees.

According to the Madanayakanahalli police, the incident happened around 11.30 am. Gowtham’s parents had left for work around 8.30 am, after which he was playing alone outside the house. There are six houses in a closed locality, including that of Gowtham’s, and neighbours who stayed at home used to take care of the children, the police said.

The houses had a common sump outside, the lid of which was kept open after someone had drawn water. Gowtham, while playing, slipped into the sump and drowned, but nobody noticed him falling.

Later, the neighbours started a search for him and found him inside the sump. They informed his father. Gowtham was shifted to the Sapthagiri Hospital, where he was declared brought dead.