Hyderabad: A 70-year-old man was swept away after reportedly falling into an open stormwater drain near the Vaishali Nagar underpass in Miyapur on Tuesday night amid heavy rainfall, where nala repair works were under way.
The Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA), along with the police and civic authorities, launched a massive search operation to trace the missing man. The search continued late into the night.
Search underway after man falls into open drain in Miyapur
According to police, the missing man has been identified as Balaiah, a resident of Prem Nagar in Hafeezpet.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the Vaishali Nagar underpass had been closed for several days to facilitate stormwater drain repair works. During the ongoing work, Balaiah reportedly slipped into the open drain and was swept away by the strong flow of rainwater.
Family members alleged negligence by the authorities, stating that the repair work should have been completed before the onset of the monsoon to avoid such incidents. They demanded strict action against those responsible.
Police, however, said the civic authorities had erected warning boards and barricaded the road to restrict public access to the repair site.
Officials said the search operation will continue until the missing man is traced.
