A 70-year-old man and his two young grandchildren drowned while bathing in a pond in Lakshmipur on Sunday, in a tragic incident that claimed the lives of three members of the same family.
The incident took place around noon on 6 September at a pond belonging to the Ibrahim Patwari household in Shakchar area of Ward 6, under Shakchar Union in Lakshmipur Sadar upazila.
The deceased were identified as Abu Siddiq, 70, his eight-year-old grandson Piyas and his six-year-old granddaughter Popi Akter. According to local residents, the two children entered the pond in an apparent attempt to rescue their grandfather after he disappeared beneath the water.
Abu Siddiq was the son of Abdul Mannan Patwari of the Ibrahim Patwari household in Shakchar Union. Piyas was the son of Abdul Aziz, Abu Siddiq’s son, while Popi was the daughter of Sumi Akter, his daughter.
Residents said Abu Siddiq had gone to the pond in front of the family home with his two grandchildren to bathe. At one point, the elderly man went into the water and submerged himself. When he failed to resurface for some time, the two children reportedly entered the pond to search for him.
The situation quickly turned into a fatal accident. The children also disappeared beneath the water, leaving the family and neighbours unaware of their exact whereabouts until people began searching the pond.
Local residents eventually recovered all three bodies approximately an hour after the incident. The deaths of the grandfather and two children have left the family and the surrounding community in deep shock.
There is speculation among local residents that Abu Siddiq may have suffered a stroke or another sudden medical problem after entering the water. Such an episode could have caused him to lose consciousness and prevented him from resurfacing. However, this remains an assumption, and the exact cause of his death has not been independently established.
The circumstances surrounding the children’s deaths also highlight the risks of attempting to rescue someone from deep water without adequate swimming or rescue skills. In many drowning incidents, people who rush into the water to save a relative or friend can themselves become victims, particularly when they are young or inexperienced swimmers.
Mehedi Hasan Faruk, a member of Ward 1 of Shakchar Union Parishad, confirmed that three members of the same family had died. He described the incident as deeply distressing for the local community.
Lakshmipur Sadar Model Police Station officer-in-charge Wahid Parvez said police had been informed of the deaths and officers had been sent to the scene. He added that police would speak with the family and take the necessary legal steps based on the circumstances.
The incident has once again drawn attention to the dangers posed by household ponds and other open water bodies, particularly for children. Close supervision around ponds and ensuring that children do not enter deep water without capable adult supervision are among the basic precautions that can reduce the risk of such tragedies.
