2, including 12-yr-old, drown in separate cases

Bhopal: Two cases of drowning were reported in the city on Tuesday and Wednesday. In the first case, a 12-year-old boy allegedly drowned in a pond in Kalapani village in Kajlikheda area on Tuesday afternoon while bathing with his friends. In the second one, a 24-year-old man allegedly drowned while bathing in the Upper Lake in Suraj Nagar in Ratibad police station limits on Wednesday afternoon.In Kajlikheda, police said the deceased, Akash Balu, 12, son of Bhoora Balu and a resident of Kalapani village, had dropped out of school after studying till Class 5. On Tuesday around 4 pm, he had gone with other children from the village to bathe in a pond located near a brick kiln.According to police, the children were bathing near the edge of the pond when Akash entered deeper water and started drowning. Hearing the children raising an alarm, the elder brother of one of Akash’s friends, who was working at the nearby brick kiln, rushed to the spot and pulled him out of the water. However, by then he had died. family members and villagers gathered at the spot and informed the police. Police said rainwater collects in the pit-like pond located near agricultural fields on the outskirts of the village. Children often bathe there and villagers also bring cattle to drink water. Akash allegedly drowned in the same pond.In another incident, police said the deceased, identified as Atul Pawar, 24, a resident of South TT Nagar, worked in a private job. On Wednesday afternoon, he had gone to Neelbad Square along with a friend for some work.Around 2 pm, while returning, the two friends decided to take a bath in the Upper Lake and reached the Suraj Nagar area. During bathing, Atul allegedly ventured into deep water and started drowning. His friend raised an alarm and sought help from locals. However, by the time Atul was pulled out of the water, he had died.