<p>A six-year-old girl allegedly drowned in a <em>rajakaluve </em>close to a prominent apartment building in Marathahalli on Friday afternoon.</p>.<p>Fire and emergency personnel who launched a massive search operation to locate the body were forced to abort the effort due to poor light.</p>.<p>The police said Bhoomika Kuli, daughter of Nithyananda, housekeeping staff at a nearby tech park, was living with her parents close to the stormwater drain.</p>.<p>Preliminary investigations revealed that Bhoomika was playing outside their house at 2 pm and accidentally fell into the drain.</p>.<p>Labourers staying in a nearby shed heard a loud noise and rushed to find the girl.</p>.<p>Failing to locate her, they called up the jurisdictional Marathahalli police and the fire and emergency officials.</p>.<p>Sources told <em><span class="italic">DH</span> </em>that the drain is filled with silt and garbage and has not been cleaned in recent times.</p>.<p>Without a retaining wall, it only had a temporary chain link fence as protection. “The chain was falling apart in many places. Locals, especially the labourers, roam close to the edge of the drain,” a local said.</p>.<p>A senior officer said the team searched for the girl till late evening but had to give up the search as the light became poor.</p>.<p>“It is quite possible that the water current could have swept the girl away. The operation will resume on Saturday morning,” the officer said.</p>.<p>The girl’s parents hail from Assam.</p>
<p>A six-year-old girl allegedly drowned in a <em>rajakaluve </em>close to a prominent apartment building in Marathahalli on Friday afternoon.</p>.<p>Fire and emergency personnel who launched a massive search operation to locate the body were forced to abort the effort due to poor light.</p>.<p>The police said Bhoomika Kuli, daughter of Nithyananda, housekeeping staff at a nearby tech park, was living with her parents close to the stormwater drain.</p>.<p>Preliminary investigations revealed that Bhoomika was playing outside their house at 2 pm and accidentally fell into the drain.</p>.<p>Labourers staying in a nearby shed heard a loud noise and rushed to find the girl.</p>.<p>Failing to locate her, they called up the jurisdictional Marathahalli police and the fire and emergency officials.</p>.<p>Sources told <em><span class="italic">DH</span> </em>that the drain is filled with silt and garbage and has not been cleaned in recent times.</p>.<p>Without a retaining wall, it only had a temporary chain link fence as protection. “The chain was falling apart in many places. Locals, especially the labourers, roam close to the edge of the drain,” a local said.</p>.<p>A senior officer said the team searched for the girl till late evening but had to give up the search as the light became poor.</p>.<p>“It is quite possible that the water current could have swept the girl away. The operation will resume on Saturday morning,” the officer said.</p>.<p>The girl’s parents hail from Assam.</p>