Mumbai:
A neighbour's folly of leaving his car unlocked during the day resulted in the death of a child Raj Petkar in Kamothe, Navi Mumbai. The agonising medical report confirmed that the tot died due to asphyxiation.
Miraculously, the deceased's cousin, three-year-old Sakshi Gondhali survived despite being locked in the car with him for 24 hours.
According to the Kamothe police, on the morning of December 26, Petkar and Gondhali were playing in the Hanuman temple square close to their home. After a while, they vanished. Family members frantically began searching for the duo after learning about their disappearance. After searching the area thorough out the day, the family approached the cops and lodged a missing person's complaint. Around 9 am, the next day, Sunil Patil who drives to work went to his car that was parked at the square across the road from Petkar's residence.
"Patil found both of them in the car. Gondhali looked terrified, but Raj was unconscious. We quickly rushed both to Kamothe municipal hospital," said Pramod Bhagat, a resident of the area.
Petkar's post mortem report confirmed yesterday evening that the death was due to suffocation. An accidental death report has been registered in connection with the incident.
"We don't suspect any foul play. One of the kids died as they locked themselves inside the car and they could not come out. Even though the area where the car was parked is populated, nobody heard their cries," said Suresh Pawar, assistant commissioner of police, Kamothe division. Raj's father runs a security agency in Navi Mumbai, while his mother is a housewife, informed the police.