Diganth was the only child of B C Adarsh and Pushpa and the family was planning to celebrate his birthday in a grand way on December 27.

“The child was very cheerful. He’d always be spotted on his father’s lap. Little did we know that he would breath his last there only,” rued Nalini Raj, the child’s aunt.

While B C Adarsh is employed with a private firm as marketing executive, Pushpa works with Karnataka Oil Field Federation. The family lives in HMT Colony in Jalahalli. Although they are a working couple, relatives said they took care of the child well. Diganth had accompanied his father while dropping off his mother to her office. Thereafter, they returned to Jalahalli, when the tragedy struck.

The whole HMT Colony seems pained by the incident. Neighbours of the family have a very fond memories of the child. “He was so cheerful. I can’t help mourning his death. He’d come to my house every morning and entertain everyone with his antics. He didn’t visit my house today and little did I know he’d never ever,” said an emotional Mangala, a neighbour.

Although the family alleges that the incident occurred due to BBMP's ‘negligence’, the spot where the child died is still in the same condition. The BBMP has not even bothered to put the collapsed bench aside and do away with it. When BBMP Chief Engineer Rangaraju was contacted, he only had this to say: “We were busy in a meeting in Malleswaram. The Joint Engineer Vedamurthy has visited the spot and consoled the family.”