Assam: Three officials arrested after 3-year-old dies in open drain

Guwahati: Police in Assam have arrested three officials from Bhartia Infra Projects Ltd (BIPL) following the death of a three-year-old boy who fell into an uncovered drain in Kalapahar, Guwahati.

The arrests came within 40 hours of the incident, following an FIR filed by the child’s father alleging gross negligence.

The arrested officials include Avinash Bhatia, Director of BIPL; Kaushik Gogoi, Safety Engineer; and Prasannajit Pathak, Deputy Project Manager.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (West) Padmanabh Barua confirmed that the drain construction was under the supervision of the Public Works Department (PWD) and that CCTV footage captured the incident.

This is not the first safety lapse linked to BIPL. Last month, a man reportedly died from electrocution at another project site, and an FIR is under investigation. Residents allege the company only covers drains when extra payments are made—a claim police said will also be examined.

Barua stressed the contractor’s responsibility for public safety, adding that development work must not come at the cost of lives. Outrage grew as the drain remained uncovered even 40 hours after the fatal accident.