Goalpara: A pall of gloom has descended upon Dhaigaon-Bollagaon in Assam’s Goalpara district after three minor girls tragically drowned in a water-filled pit amidst a paddy field on Wednesday evening. The devastating incident has sparked outrage among local residents, who are pointing fingers at alleged negligence on the part of the field’s owner.
The deceased have been identified as 13-year-old Shabita Begum, her seven-year-old sister Charjina Begum, both daughters of Shameer Ali, and their cousin, 12-year-old Azmina Begum. Azmina was reportedly staying with her uncle’s family for her schooling. The trio were last seen playing near the fields around 3 p.m. When Shameer Ali returned home from work later that day to find the children missing, a frantic search was immediately launched by distressed family members and villagers.
The heartbreaking search concluded around 9 p.m. when the lifeless bodies of the three girls were recovered from a deep, pond-like pit in the middle of the paddy field. The discovery plunged the family and the entire community into profound grief and shock.
Following the tragic news, officials from Krishnai Police Station, including the Additional Superintendent of Police (Crime) and the Deputy Superintendent of Police (Border), rushed to the scene. The bodies have since been sent to Goalpara Civil Hospital for a postmortem examination.
The incident has ignited a strong reaction from local residents, who are vehemently blaming the tragedy on what they describe as the sheer negligence of the field’s owner. They allege that the substantial pit was dug without any discernible safety measures or fencing, creating a perilous trap for unsuspecting individuals, especially children. Villagers are now urgently appealing to the authorities to conduct a thorough investigation into the matter and ensure strict action is taken against those deemed responsible for creating such a hazardous environment.
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