Guwahati:

The body of an eight-year-old boy who had fallen into a stormwater drain in Guwahati on Thursday, was recovered about 4 km downstream in the Rajgarh area of the city, police said.

The body was identified by his parents at Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), where it was taken after being retrieved on Sunday.

A police officer said that the body was recovered by rescue agencies in the Rajgarh area, more than 4 km downstream from hilly Jyotinagar, where the boy had fallen into the drain.

The parents initially identified the body on the basis of photographs shared with them, and later physically verified it at the GMCH morgue.

Abhinash Sarkar had slipped from his father’s scooter and fell into the open drain on Thursday evening, as they were returning home amid a heavy downpour.

Multiple agencies, including NDRF and SDRF, had launched a search operation, pressing into action different machinery and sniffer dogs.

Abhinash’s father had also carried out a search operation by himself, wading through the drain, slush and garbage with a stick in his hand for the last three days.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had visited the search site on Saturday, and consoled the family, assuring all measures to find the missing boy.

Mr Sarma condoled the death of the boy.

“HCM Dr @himantabiswa has expressed his deepest condolences to Shri Hiralal Sarkar and family on their tragic loss. HCM also thanked the NDRF, SDRF, Assam Police and District authorities for their search efforts,” the CMO tweeted.

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Guwahati:

It’s been three days since his son fell into a drain in flooded Guwahati, but Hiralal Sarkar has not given up yet. His relentless search continues for the eight-year-old Abhinash while the city – the largest in Assam – remains submerged.

Hiralal has been using an iron rod to search in the sewage, but his son’s slippers were all that he could find. Showing the pair, he lamented, “I have been searching with an iron rod and have managed to find my son’s sandals. I possibly cannot find him with the rod. The government has the machinery, they must find my boy.”

He has handed over the slippers to cops for verification.

Abhinash had slipped from his father’s scooter and fallen into the drain while returning home amid heavy rain on Thursday evening. Hiralal had said he saw his son’s hand in the drain and dived in, but could not get a hold of him.

The man spent the night on the veranda of a shop and vowed he wouldn’t rest till he found him. Since, wearing a t-shirt and half-pants, he has been wading through slush and garbage to look for his son.

The state authorities have launched a massive search operation involving multiple agencies to help Hiralal find his son. Sniffer dogs, super suckers, and excavators have been deployed too.

An official said parts of the drain covered with concrete slabs in the downstream areas are being lifted in an effort to trace the missing boy. Hiralal and his wife have also met Chief Minister Himanta Sarma, who has ordered the rescue teams to intensify their search operation.

Floods in Assam have claimed six lives over the past 24 hours while over 23 lakh remain on the edge.

In Guwahati, Anil Nagar, Nabin Nagar, and Rukminigaon continued to be under water for the fourth day while the Brahmaputra was flowing above the danger level at several places.

As many as 58 people have lost their lives due to floods in Assam so far this year.