LAHORE: Scores of people late Thursday blocked The Upper Mall near Mian Meer Bridge shortly after a minor boy drowned in an open manhole, throwing traffic out of gear for several hours.

They placed the body of the boy in middle of the road and lodged strong protest, holding the local government authorities responsible for the death of the boy. They told media that the boy fell in the manhole while playing in the street. The protesters clashed with police briefly.

Hundreds of vehicles were stuck in the traffic jam, causing a great inconvenience to motorists and local residents when traffic was diverted to narrow streets.

Some senior police officers reached the site and managed to clear the road.

Published in Dawn, October 11th, 2024