Gurgaon: A nine-year-old boy died after being swept away in a canal in Sohna after the motorcycle carrying him and his elder brother fell off a temporary bridge near Bhogpur Mandi village on Saturday night.The boy, identified as Saddam, a resident of Bhogpur village, was returning home with his brother Islam after collecting medicines from nearby Silani village. While crossing the temporary bridge over the canal, the motorcycle lost balance and both brothers fell into the water along with the bike.Hearing their cries, villagers rushed to the spot and managed to pull Islam out, but Saddam was caught in the current and disappeared. Police and rescue teams launched a search operation, with local divers and disaster management personnel checking the flowing stretches of the canal. His body was found two hours later.Villagers alleged the bridge lacked basic safety arrangements. A resident said complaints about the absence of railings had earlier been submitted to the administration without result. “There is no barricading or railing on either side. People crossing it, especially at night, are always at risk. Despite complaints, no action was taken,” he said.A case of death by negligence has been registered at Sadar Sohna police station against the contractor responsible for the structure, which was being maintained by the irrigation department. Police said the investigation will examine how long the work had been under way, when it was due to be completed, and whether any delay contributed to the accident.
