Lahore manhole tragedy: bodies of mother and daughter reach Shorkot

WEB DESK: he bodies of a mother and her daughter who were killed in a recent incident in Lahore were brought to their ancestral village in Shorkot on Friday, triggering scenes of grief and mourning in the area. Residents and relatives broke down in sorrow as the bodies reached the family home, with the village enveloped in an atmosphere of despair.

According to family sources, the funeral prayers of the deceased woman and her daughter will be offered today at 11am in Mauza Allah Yar Juta, where they will be laid to rest.

Incident and immediate action

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz ordered the immediate arrest of senior officials after a mother and her daughter died after falling into an open manhole in Lahore.

The chief minister directed the arrest of the project director, consultant and other responsible officials, while also ordering the dismissal of the project director and related staff. She further instructed authorities to register criminal negligence cases against all those found responsible.

Details of the tragedy

The incident occurred near Bhatti Gate, close to Data Darbar, on Wednesday night when the family was leaving the shrine. According to officials, the mother and daughter fell into an uncovered manhole near an ongoing construction site while boarding a rickshaw. The area reportedly had multiple open manholes, poor lighting and a complete lack of safety arrangements. The woman’s body was recovered on Wednesday, while the child’s body was found the following day.

‘This is tantamount to murder’

Terming the incident a result of “extreme negligence,” Maryam Nawaz said the deaths could have been easily prevented with basic safety measures such as covering manholes, installing warning signs and regulating traffic and parking around the site. “This is tantamount to murder,” she said, holding the Lahore administration, WASA managing director, LDA director general and site supervisors responsible for failing to ensure public safety. She noted that the assistant commissioner concerned had never visited the site.

Compensation and accountability

The chief minister announced Rs10 million in compensation for the bereaved family, to be paid by the contractor responsible for the construction site. She stressed that development projects are meant to serve citizens, not put their lives at risk, and vowed strict accountability to ensure such incidents are not repeated. Authorities have recorded statements from the family and begun collecting evidence from the site.

Confusion and official confirmations

Initial reports about the incident were conflicting, with some claims suggesting the accident had not occurred. Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari initially termed the reports “fake” and praised Rescue 1122 for its response. However, DIG Operations Lahore Faisal Kamran later confirmed the deaths, identifying the woman as Saadia, and clarified that Rescue 1122 had responded promptly.

CCTV footage and investigation

CCTV footage from Safe City cameras played a key role in confirming the incident. The footage showed the family arriving in a rickshaw, parking near Data Darbar, and the route they took before the mother and daughter fell into the open manhole. According to preliminary reports, the family was seen shopping at around 6:47pm, reached the shrine area by 7:22pm, and Rescue 1122 received the emergency call at 7:32pm, arriving within four minutes.

Questioning of family members

Police officials said the husband of the deceased woman was not arrested but briefly questioned to gather information. He and the woman’s brother-in-law were later released after initial inquiries. DIG Faisal Kamran personally supervised the recovery of the child’s body late Wednesday night, putting an end to rumors and confirming the tragic deaths.