Hyderabad: Elderly man swept away in open drain during Miyapur repair works

A 70-year-old man went missing after allegedly falling into an open drain near the Vaishali Nagar underpass in Miyapur during repair works. Rescue teams are searching for him, while family members blamed the contractor and civic authorities for inadequate safety measures.

Hyderabad: A 70-year-old man went missing after being swept away by rainwater in an open stormwater drain near the Vaishali Nagar underpass in Miyapur on Tuesday night, triggering a large-scale search operation by rescue teams.

The missing man, identified as Balaiah, a resident of Prem Nagar in Hafeezpet, reportedly fell into the drain while nala repair works were underway near the underpass.

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According to police, the underpass had been closed for several days to facilitate drainage repair work. Preliminary findings suggest that Balaiah accidentally fell into the open drain and was carried away by the strong flow of water.

Miyapur Inspector N Jayaram said multiple rescue teams have been searching for the missing man. “Special teams searched nearly 4 km along the stormwater drain, but his whereabouts could not be traced. Our immediate priority is the rescue operation, and further legal action will be taken based on the evidence,” he said.

Eyewitnesses said Balaiah, who was walking with the help of a stick, was attempting to cross the drainage stretch around 9.20 pm to reach his home. Two youths reportedly tried to assist him across, but he lost his footing, slipped into the fast-flowing water and was swept away.

Family members and local residents alleged that the tragedy was caused by the contractor’s negligence, claiming that adequate barricades and safety measures were not in place despite the ongoing repair works. They also criticised the civic authorities for failing to ensure public safety at the site.

Residents said the closed underpass had forced people living in nearby colonies to either use the hazardous stretch or take a detour of more than three kilometres to reach their homes.

Local MLA Arikepudi Gandhi visited the site, reviewed the rescue operation with officials and directed them to intensify efforts to trace the missing man. The search operation continued on Wednesday, while Miyapur police were investigating the incident.