Toddler was last seen on Wednesday following his father to the market, but body found floating in nullah next morning; two other 3-year-olds went missing from area earlier
The body of a three-year-old boy, who had gone missing on Wednesday morning from near his home in Lalji Pada, Kandivli, was recovered from the drain in the area the next day. Ganesh Pathode, the third of four children lived with his parents in Janta colony in Lalji Pada and their home is on the edge of the nallah. According to the police, Ganesh had suffered a skull fracture and one eye was damaged, besides other injuries to his body. The police have made an accidental death report and are awaiting the post-mortem report to ascertain whether or not this is a case of murder.
Tragic end: Three-year-old Ganesh Pathode (inset), who went missing on Wednesday morning from near his home in Lalji Pada, Kandivli, and the spot from where his body was recovered the next day
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This incident is one of three that have happened in the area in the past month-and-a-half and incidentally, the two other victims who went missing or turned up dead, were also around the same age.
According to statements given to the police by family members, Ganesh was last seen following his father Vinod Pathode to the market place on Wednesday morning. They realised that he was missing when Vinod returned home some time later and Ganesh was not with him. After their efforts to find him anywhere in the area were futile, the victim’s parents lodged a missing person complaint with the Kandivli police.
The next morning, a resident identified as Rahul Saroj saw a body floating in the nullah and immediately notified the police, after which Ganesh’s parents were also informed. Though the police suspect that the child may have accidentally fallen in the nullah while playing, they have not ruled out possible foul play.
The family on the other hand alleges that some previous enmity might be the cause of their son’s death and he may have been pushed into the drain.
“How can this be a case of accidental death? His eye is injured and he has deep injury marks all over his body. It’s not possible to get this badly injured because of a fall,” said his father.
The victim’s home is on the side of the nullah that comes under the jurisdiction of the Kandivli police, but since the body was recovered from the side that comes under of the jurisdiction of the Bangur Nagar police station, officials of that station will be investigating the case.u00a0
One of many
The Lalji Pada area in Kandivli has been in the news earlier, and in less than two months this is the third three-year-old that has died or gone missing from the vicinity. Sagar Sharma (3) was living in the same area with his parents until he was lured away by a man while playing outside his house. He was taken to a marshy area nearby and killed by a blow to the head with a stone. Sagar’s body was later recovered from Gorai creek. Another three-year-old, Sandesh Gupta, had gone missing from near his home in the same area two months ago. The victim’s body has not been traced till date and the locals allege police apathy.
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