LAHORE, April 13: Passion for cricket took a youth to a death-trap as he drowned after falling into a drain while attempting to pick the ball at Sabzazar on Sunday.

Police said Muhammad Irfan, 25, a conductor, was playing cricket along with his friends when a shot landed the ball in a drain. They said Irfan and his friend, Sunny, were trying to get hold of the floating ball when the former lost his balance because of slippery banks and fell into it. Sunny tried to save him, but to no avail.

The dejected friends called out Rescue 1122 officials who fished out the body after about four hours. Five rescue officials reportedly fell unconscious while trying to recover the body because of the chemicals. They were shifted to the Mayo hospital where their condition was stated to be stable.

Police handed over the body to the family without autopsy. —Staff Reporter