CUTTACK: Three children, aged between 3 and 7 years, drowned in a septic tank at Ragadipada village under Badamba block of Cuttack district under tragic circumstances on Monday.
As per reports, the children were playing near the septic tank when one of them is believed to have stepped on the cover slab, triggering it to cave in.
However, there was no one around to come to their rescue.
When the children did not return home after several hours, their family members launched a frantic search. Later, an elderly relative noticed the damaged slab. Out of suspicion, he jumped into the tank and found the kids.
He, along with others, pulled them out in an unconscious state and rushed to the Badamba hospital, where doctors declared them dead.
The children were identified as Ankit Naik (5), Shibani Naik (7) and Shubham Naik (3). On being informed, police rushed to the spot and launched an investigation.
While the bodies were sent for postmortem, unnatural death cases have been registered in Badamba police station.
A pall of gloom descended in the village as bereaved family members remained inconsolable.
