Pathsala: A 74-year-old man died after falling into an uncovered sewer in the heart of the Pathsala town in Assam‘s Barpeta district.
The deceased has been identified as Aswani Kr Thakuria, a retired police sub-inspector. He suffered severe injuries in the fall and was rushed to Pathsala Hospital, where he was referred to Barpeta Medical College. However, he died on the way to the hospital.
Eyewitnesses say that Thakuria was walking along Pathsala College Road when he fell into the sewer. He was unable to climb out and drowned.
The incident has sparked massive outrage among locals, who blamed the Pathshala municipality for failing to maintain the sewer and for ignoring repeated complaints about its poor condition.
A protest was held on Pathsala College Road on Monday evening, demanding accountability from the municipal authorities. The protest disrupted traffic in the area.
The local police are investigating the incident and have taken statements from eyewitnesses.