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Two toddlers drown in same village in Greater Noida — one in open drain, another in flooded field

Two children aged three and one-and-a-half years died in separate drowning incidents in Dalelgarh village of Greater Noida, raising concerns over open drains and flooded land.

4 min readFeb 18, 2026 09:07 AM IST

Two toddlers drowned in separate incidents in Dalelgarh village of Greater Noida within two weeks — one in an open drain and another in a flooded field.

The drain in which the 1.5-year-old drowned. (Express Photo)

After a three-year-old boy drowned in a 6-ft deep flooded field in Greater Noida’s Dalelgarh village, located off the Eastern Peripheral Expressway, on Saturday, it has come to light that around two weeks earlier, a one-and-a-half-year-old girl had died in the same village after falling in an open drain nearly 10 m away from her home.

An open drain, full of garbage, runs through large parts of the village, passing in front of several single-storey homes.
According to villagers, they had written to the Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority (GNIDA) following the death of the girl on February 1 but to no avail.

Krishna Kant, the secretary of Gram Vikas Seva Samiti, a local residents welfare group, said that in a letter written to GNIDA on February 4, they had expressed concern that the flooded areas in the village can cause serious accidents and sought action.

The letter was acknowledged by GNIDA officials, he added.

However, GNIDA General Manager A K Singh denied responsibility. “It does not concern us and we are not responsible,” Singh said, adding that the land where the girl drowned did not fall under GNIDA’s jurisdiction and was located on the village outskirts. “We cannot be covering all the drains in the area,” he added.

The girl had fallen into the open drain around 6 pm while playing outside with her 3-year-old brother. Her mother, Poonam said she was in the kitchen when the children had stepped out unnoticed. “…When I couldn’t find her, I started searching and the neighbours joined in. After two hours, we found her in the drain. We rushed her to the hospital but she could not survive. There was mud all over her face and body. My child was scared of the water and died in it,” Poonam said. Her husband is an autorickshaw driver.

The second victim, Devansh, had come from Sikandrabad with his parents, Rakesh and Anjali, to attend a bhandara at the Baleshwar Baba Samadhi complex, organised by his maternal grandfather, Anil. On Tuesday, the family members sat in mourning outside their two-room house as Devansh’s parents left for their home.

“They had just arrived and went straight to the temple for the bhandara,” said Devansh’s grandmother Kavita.
“Around 11 am, we realised he was missing. When we could not find him, we feared he had been kidnapped. Then Harsh, my son, spotted his pink woollen cap floating in the flooded field,” Kavita said. Devansh was rushed to a nearby hospital where he was declared dead.

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The temple is located about 500 m on the outskirts of the village, surrounded by wheat fields.

Adjacent to it lies the flooded field, which villagers claimed belonged to the GNIDA and was designated as grazing land.

After the death, however, the GNIDA had said in a statement that the land is registered in the name of a farmer in the village. “It is not a government pond. The pit had filled with water on this private land, in which the child drowned.”
Anil said district officials have promised the family a compensation of Rs 4 lakh. “The sub-divisional magistrate and the lekhpal have assured us that the compensation would be handed over soon,” he added.

Both the families said they have not filed a police.

Neetika Jha

Neetika Jha is a Correspondent with The Indian Express, based in the Noida bureau. She primarily covers crime, health, and environmental issues, as well as human-interest features across Noida, Ghaziabad, and Western Uttar Pradesh. Professional Profile Education: She is an alumna of the Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), Chennai. Core Beat: Her work focuses on the administrative and social challenges of the NCR's satellite cities. She is known for her detailed reporting on civic infrastructure (like the Noida International Airport), environmental violations, and high-profile criminal investigations. Personal Interests: Outside of reporting, she is an avid reader of fiction (citing The Thursday Murder Club and Yellowface as recent favorites) and a gardening enthusiast. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Neetika’s recent reportage has been dominated by winter-related crises in the NCR and significant criminal legalities: 1. Environment & Public Safety "Greater Noida Authority slaps fines on firms for violating GRAP IV norms" (Dec 21, 2025): Reporting on heavy penalties imposed on major developers like NBCC for flouting anti-pollution construction bans. "Fatal pile-up on Yamuna Expressway: Fog, high speed emerge as key safety risks" (Dec 17, 2025): A major report on a 15-vehicle collision caused by dense fog that killed 17 people. "At Chilla, Kalindi, DND, many fined Rs 20,000 for non-compliance to Delhi's BS-VI rule" (Dec 19, 2025): On-the-ground reporting from the borders where Noida police penalize non-compliant vehicles entering the capital. "Driving in Noida amid fog? New speed limits in effect till Feb 15" (Dec 13, 2025): Detailing the seasonal traffic restrictions aimed at preventing highway accidents. 2. Crime & Legal Developments "'Have you ever heard of a murder case being withdrawn?': Court in Akhlaq lynching case" (Dec 12, 2025): Covering a critical courtroom hearing where the court questioned the UP government's petition to withdraw charges against the accused. "After losing money in stock market, bank employee in Ghaziabad withdraws Rs 64 lakh from customers' accounts" (Dec 14, 2025): An investigative piece on internal bank fraud and the risks of modern digital embezzlement. "Woman shot dead by partner in Noida: Three days on, accused still on the run" (Dec 2, 2025): Tracking a high-profile domestic violence and murder case in Central Noida. 3. Human Interest & Features "'Had tears in my eyes': Army men walk bride down the aisle 20 years after father died in terror attack" (Dec 2, 2025): A moving story about soldiers from a Punjab Grenadiers unit fulfilling a father's duty for his daughter. "How a Zepto delivery man heard a cry — and saved two kids dumped in Noida drain" (Dec 2025): A viral human-interest story highlighting individual heroism in the city. Signature Style Neetika is recognized for her meticulous follow-up on local tragedies. Whether it is a massive pile-up on the Yamuna Expressway or the ongoing construction of the Jewar (Noida) Airport, she focuses on systemic lapses and the safety of commuters. Her crime reporting often explores the psychological motives behind "crimes of passion" and the rising trend of financial cyber-fraud in the Ghaziabad-Noida belt. ... Read More

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