Cops fight over jurisdiction after kid drowns

KALYAN: Officers of two

police

stations squabbled over

jurisdiction

matter as family members of a two-year-old boy who had drowned in Kalyan creek, waited for more than two hours to send the body for postmortem and register a case.

Two-year-old Aayush Ingole drowned after falling into Kalyan creek while he was playing with his brother near his residence on Retibandar area in Kalyan. The body was found by the locals after 22 hours.

The child fell into the creek in the area which is in jurisdiction of Bazarpeth police station jurisdiction, while his body was found in Wadeghar area, which is under Khadakpada police station. A bereaved family member said, “Initially Bazarpeth police refused to probe the case and asked us to approach Khadakpada police. However, after Khadakpada police officials too refused to file a case then only Bazarpeth police initiated a probe.”

The incident came to light on Tuesday at 5 pm, when the child, while playing, lost his balance and fell into the

creek

, his elder brother who got scared seeing this rushed home but did not tell anyone about the incident. Around 6.30 pm, their father Ravindra Ingole realized that his younger son Aayush had not come back home. Ravindra quizzed his elder child, who then told him that Aayush fell into the creek.

Ravindra immediately informed the fire brigade, who allegedly refused to come and search for the boy stating that it was night time. Later, Ravindra, with the help of local swimmers, tried looking for Aayush, but could not find him.

“On Wednesday morning the fire team came and took two rounds of the creek and left without conducting a thorough search. It was around 4.30 pm when locals in two small boats went searching for Aayush and found his body near Wadeghar area on banks of creek. They brought body to the deceased’s residence and informed the Bazarpeth police. To their dismay, two policemen from Bazarpeth area came to the spot but refused to register a case stating that the body was found in Wadeghar area which is not in their jurisdiction. They asked the family to approach the Khadakpada police station to file a complaint,” said a neighbour, who helped the family.

However, after a police team from the Khadakpada police station reached the spot, they too refused to register a case stating that the area where the boy fell into the creek is under jurisdiction of Bazarpeth police hence they should look into the matter.

Sachin Ingole, a relative of Ravindra said, “After over two hours of arguing, Bazarpeth police started investigating the matter and allowed the body to be taken for post mortem.”

Firoj Shaikh, a neighbour, said, “The fire brigade too did a half-hearted effort while searching for the boy. Eventually, the locals had to go on their own to search for the body.”

Attempts to contact Gulabrao Gore, senior police inspector of Khadakpada police station were futile.


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