BERHAMPUR: A 56-year-old man died after reportedly falling into an open drain that was overflowing due to heavy rains, on the campus of MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Ganjam’s Berhampur on Wednesday.
The deceased was identified as Mahendra Panigrahi, a resident of Kharabela Nagar. He was working in a private engineering college in the city.
Eyewitnesses said amid heavy rains in the evening, some passersby spotted a scooter floating in overflowing drain which is hardly 500 metre away from the MCH’s casualty ward. Out of curiosity, people gathered on the spot and to their shock, found a man inside the drain.
Sushant Kumar, a local who rescued Mahendra from the drain, said after repeated calls to the ambulance service went in vain, some passersby hired an auto-rickshaw and shifted the man to the casualty ward. However, no doctor was present on the ground floor and the security guards advised to shift the man to the first floor. As the hospital elevator was occupied by patients, it took around 15 minutes to reach the first floor where the man was declared dead by the doctor.
Another local Srikant Gouda said, “The man was alive when we rescued him. But it took around 15 minutes to take him to the casualty ward and another 30 minutes were wasted in meeting the doctor. Had the man received treatment in time, he would have survived.”
On being informed, police reached the MCH and seized the body for autopsy. An officer of Baidyanathpur police station said investigation is underway to determine the circumstances under which the man fell into the drain.
Despite repeated attempts, no officer of Berhampur Municipal Corporation (BeMC) was available for comment.
Sources said the road along the open drain is full of potholes. Around six months back, a couple along with their two kids slipped into the open drain while passing on the road. Luckily, they were rescued by locals with minor injuries. Following the incident, the authorities of BeMC barricaded the drain with bamboo poles.
Incidentally, the urban development directorate had directed the BeMC in 2022 to cover all the open drains. However, major drains in the city are yet to be covered at several places including the MKCG MCH campus.
Past incidents
In August 2024, a 10-year-old boy lost his life after falling into open drain in Laxmi Nrusingha Sahi in Berhampur
In July 2023, a man under the influence of alcohol fell into an open drain and died in Ainabandha Sahi
In August 2020, a 62-year-old man fell into an under-construction drain near Ankuli and died