LAHORE: A district court in Lahore on Monday ordered the release of five suspects in the case involving the deaths of a woman and her infant daughter who fell into an uncovered manhole near Bhati Gate after the victims’ family decided not to pursue further legal action lawyers said.
The victims Sadia and her 10 month old daughter Rida Fatima died on January 28 after accidentally falling into an open manhole near the Data Darbar area one of the city’s busiest and most visited locations. Police officials said their bodies were later recovered from the sewer and transported to their ancestral village in Shorkot where funeral rites were held amid scenes of grief.
During Monday’s proceedings, Judicial Magistrate Shafqat Abbas heard the case registered at Bhati Gate police station. The complainant a relative of the victims informed the court that the family had reached a settlement and no longer wished to pursue charges. As a result the court ordered the release of the five arrested individuals including contractors and personnel linked to the ongoing sewerage project.
The incident had sparked widespread public outrage and prompted Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz to term the deaths criminal negligence ordering immediate arrests and dismissals of those involved.
The tragedy highlighted serious safety lapses at urban construction sites and renewed concerns over uncovered infrastructure in densely populated areas of Lahore.
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