Bilaspur boy, 7, jumps to save brother, 4; both drown as dad busy on call

Raipur: A few minutes on a phone call turned tragic for a family in Chilhati village of Bilaspur district on Thursday evening when a four-year-old boy slipped into a pond and his seven-year-old brother jumped in to save him — only for both to drown as their father stood a short distance away speaking on his mobile phone.The victims were identified as Deepu Paikra (7) and his younger brother Chintu (4).Their father, Bhakt Prahlad, a farmer, had taken the two children to the pond. According to preliminary information, he left them near the water’s edge and moved some distance away while attending a phone call. It was during those moments that Chintu, who was playing near the bank, lost his footing and slipped into deeper water.Seeing his younger brother struggling, Deepu might have jumped into the pond in an attempt to rescue him. But the water was too deep, and the elder boy too began to drown.A youth who witnessed them nearby spotted the brothers in distress and raised an alarm. Villagers rushed to the pond, entered the water and pulled both children out.They were initially taken to Pachpedi hospital and later referred to Masturi, where doctors declared them dead.The deaths of both brothers in quick succession left the family devastated and the village in shock.Police registered a case of unnatural death and sent the bodies for post-mortem examination.The incident has also brought the issue of close supervision of young children near ponds and other open water bodies into sharp focus, particularly in rural areas where such spots are often unfenced and easily accessible.