Man falls into open stormwater drain in Chennai, dies; pit not barricaded, claims AIADMK

Chennai: 35-year-old man died after falling into a stormwater drain in Ashok Nagar here, leading to the opposition AIADMK alleging that the accident occurred as the open pit was not barricaded.

Police said an inebriated resident of K K Nagar identified as G Iyyappan, slipped and fell into the drain on Sunday when he was playing with a stray dog.

The stormwater drain dug up recently had remained incomplete and as a result rainwater got accumulated. It thus posed as a lurking threat to the road users, the AIADMK said.

Taking up the issue, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswmai said the death would not have happened had the authorities adequately barricaded the area.

"If this is the state of affairs, then Chennai is bound to face heavy inundation if the stormwater drainage works were not completed ahead of the approaching northeast monsoon," he said while speaking to reporters in Salem.

He urged the civic authorities to ensure the safety of the public by barricading the pits and also complete the work soon.