A fatal incident shocked the residents of Jhanjhana village under Anandpur subdivision in Hatadihi block of Keonjhar district after a two-year-old boy died after falling into an uncovered pit dug by a private company (contract firm) for repairing a leaking water pipeline under a mega drinking water project, sources said on Monday.

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According to allegations made by villagers, the company had excavated a deep pit in the middle of the village road nearly five years ago after a leakage was detected in a pipeline connected to the mega drinking water project. However, despite the passage of several years, neither was the leakage properly repaired nor was the dangerous pit filled up, posing a continuous threat to local residents.

The deceased child has been identified as Anil, the two-year-old son of Arun Khandei of the village. The tragic incident occurred on Sunday afternoon while the child was reportedly playing in the area. Unaware of the danger, the toddler accidentally fell into the deep pit, leading to his untimely demise.

Family members and villagers immediately launched a frantic search operation after the child went missing. After hours of searching, the body of the child was finally recovered from the pit in the evening. The child’s body was later sent to the sub-divisional hospital (SDH) in Anandpur for postmortem.

The incident triggered widespread outrage in the village, with locals accusing the company authorities of gross negligence and irresponsibility. Villagers claimed that repeated warnings had been ignored despite the open pit remaining unattended for years.

Residents have now demanded strict action against the private company responsible for the negligence. They have also sought adequate compensation for the bereaved family and immediate filling of the hazardous pit to prevent any further accidents.

The death of the child has once again raised serious questions over safety measures and accountability in infrastructure and public utility projects in rural areas. Residents have urged the local administration to intervene immediately and ensure that such incidents are not repeated.

“A contract firm had dug a pit for the pipeline repair under the mega drinking water project in Jhanjhana village under Hatadihi block and Soso police limits. I got to know that a two-year-old child fell into that pit yesterday and died. I am asking for a detailed report from the SE (superintending engineer) concerned, and action will be taken after the report comes in,” Anandpur Sub-Collector, Nilamadhab Suna, said when contacted.

Reported By: Muna Singh