Mumbai: Nalasopara boy who fell in open drain still missing 26 days on

Anmol’s father Rameshwar Singh said the fire brigade stopped their search operations after a week. Pics/Hanif Patel

Over 26 days after four-year-old Anmol Singh fell into an open gutter in a water-logged stretch in Nalasopara, he continues to remain untraceable. Adding to the family's woes, the Tulij police has not yet registered an FIR in the matter against the authorities allegedly responsible for the incident. Anmol's family has also claimed that they didn't receive any help from the municipal corporation.

On July 17 and 18, when Mumbai experienced a heavy downpour, parts of Vasai and Virar were also under water. Anmol, a resident of Bilalpada area in Nalasopara East, had gone to play cricket outside, when he accidentally fell into an open gutter. The fire brigade and police rushed to the spot, and search operations continued for a week.

Speaking with mid-day, Anmol's father Rameshwar Singh said, "I don't know whether my son is still alive. The municipal corporation is responsible for our loss. But, the police has not yet registered any case in the matter. They also stopped the rescue operations after a week."

Anmol's mother Amisha said that they had asked the police to take action against the officer responsible for the neglect. "We also wrote a letter to the police department on Saturday demanding justice."

When contacted, Dilip Palav, fire department officer, said, "Our search was on for nearly 10 days, but we couldn't find him. The local police also helped us." Vasai Tahsildar Ujwala Bhagat said, "Once we get the [police] report, we will help the family."

Meanwhile, the police said that they are unable to register a case due to "technical difficulties". Sanjay Patil, DCP, Zone 2 said, "Since the boy is a minor, we can't register a missing case. As per law, if a missing person is a minor, it is counted as a kidnapping case."