Tragedy struck the town of Siwalkhas in Meerut district after the bodies of three missing children were found early Monday in a water-filled vacant plot, sending shockwaves through the community.
The discovery has sparked anger among locals, who gathered in large numbers and staged a protest at the local police outpost, accusing authorities of inaction.
According to the police, the deceased have been identified as Ritik (8), Manvi (9), and Shivansh alias Shibu (8).
All three children went missing on Sunday morning between 10 and 11 am while playing outside their homes. Shivansh’s father had reportedly asked the children to return home earlier, but they never came back.
Despite desperate attempts by the families and villagers to locate the children throughout the day, there was no trace of them. After their disappearance was reported to the police, a search was initiated.
Around 5:30 a.m. on Monday, villagers discovered the bodies of the three children in a rainwater-filled vacant plot on the outskirts of an under-construction colony. The police were immediately informed, and they rushed to the scene. The bodies were taken for post-mortem examination.
Circle Officer (Saradhna) Ashutosh Kumar said there were no visible external injuries on the bodies, and initial findings suggest the children may have drowned. However, the grieving families have rejected the drowning theory and allege that the children were murdered and their bodies dumped in the water.
“All three dying together in the same spot like this, it can’t be an accident,” said one distraught parent. All three families come from economically weaker backgrounds and work as daily wage laborers. Two of the children were students at local schools, while one was not yet enrolled.
The police have assured a thorough investigation from all possible angles. A heavy police force has been deployed in the area to prevent unrest, as tensions continue to rise among the residents, who are angry at what they claim was a delayed and ineffective response by the law enforcement agencies.