ISLAMABAD, Dec 25: An 11-year-old boy drowned in a poorly-covered underground water tank of the Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) located on Saidpur Road here on Thursday.

Saad Shah, son of a Wasa employee, was enjoying the December 25 holiday flying kite on the grounds of Water Works 1 of Wasa when he stepped on the creaky wooden plank that covered the mouth of the vast 100x200 feet tank and vanished inside. It was about 1:30pm.

His friends’ hue and cry brought his parents and other people rushing to the scene. They tried to rescue the boy but failed.

Help of police and Rescue 1122 was then sought but the large crowd that had gathered there and the chilly water hampered their efforts to pull the boy out.

At long last, Navy divers were called in who brought out the limp body of the boy from the tank some three hours after he had fallen into it.

Saad looked unconscious and was rushed to the Holy Family Hospital where the doctors pronounced him dead.

The announcement shocked the relatives and friends of the boy who raised slogans against the civic authorities, alleging that their negligence sent the 11-year-old to his watery grave.

Meanwhile, the chief minister Punjab Mian Shahbaz Sharif has ordered an inquiry into the incident.

A senior official of WASA said that the water reservoir of 2.5 million gallons capacity at Water Works 1 on Saidpur Road was under repair for last one year.

“The incident happened due to poor supervision,” he said, holding the contractor responsible and promising to sue him.

Thieves strike at seven places: Burglars and thieves struck at seven places in the city and made off with four vehicles, cash and other valuables on Wednesday, police said.

Amir Sohail’s motorbike was stolen from Pindora area, Tausif Iqbal’s motorcycle from the Airport area and Qamar Sultan’s motorbike from R.A. Bazaar. Dr Munawar Hussain’s car was driven away from outside his house in Westridge.

Irshad Bibi lodged a complaint with the Pirwadhai police, stating that some burglars broke into her house and made off with Rs400,000, five tolas of gold ornaments and three cellphones.

Waheed Ahmad lodged a similar complaint with the Civil Lines police, stating that unidentified burglars took away gold ornaments and cash valuing at Rs70,000 from his house.

Mohammad Younas also reported to the police that 10 tolas of gold ornaments and other valuables were stolen from his house.