PESHAWAR, Dec 24: An Afghan baby girl drowned in a drain after falling from the lap of her mother outside the office of a non-governmental organization on Monday.

About 200 Afghan refugees, including women, had gathered outside the office of Union Aid for Afghan Refugees on Abdara Road in the hope of getting aid but they were told that the agency had no aid for them.

While the policemen were trying to disperse the people gathered there, the baby slipped from the lap of her mother and fell into the nearby drain.

She was immediately pulled out of the drain but by that time she had already expired.

The Afghan refugees gathered there told Dawn that for the last two days they had been visiting the office as they were told by the officials of the organization that aid would be distributed among them but it did not happen.

Some women claimed that they had been pushed by policemen, forcing them to leave the place.

They further said that the policemen also took away relief items provided to them by the non-governmental organization officials.

Though no official of the organization was available at the office to comment on the matter, two watchmen present at the office claimed that they never asked the refugees to come as the organization had no aid for distribution.