A child died Tuesday after falling into an open drain in the Mukundpur area of Bhalswa Dairy, north Delhi, officials confirmed. The Irrigation and Flood Control (I&FC) Department immediately dismissed the junior engineer responsible for the section, citing gross negligence.

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta expressed deep sorrow over the incident, calling it 'extremely distressing and alarming' and warning that negligence in public safety, particularly concerning children, would not be tolerated. She directed all departments to identify and secure open drains and hazardous spots across the city without delay.

A citywide safety audit has been ordered to map and repair uncovered drains and other risk areas, officials said. The move follows repeated incidents of children falling into open drains in Delhi, including a similar case recently in north Delhi where prior resident complaints were reportedly ignored.

The Chief Minister assured the victim's family of support and vowed that those responsible would be held accountable. The court-monitored action plan for urban infrastructure safety will be reviewed this week, with updated compliance reports due Friday.