The body of a woman who fell into an open sewer line near Data Darbar in Lahore has been recovered, while a search for her 10-month-old child is still underway, sources said on Thursday.

According to police and rescue officials, the incident took place in an area where development work was being carried out by the Traffic Engineering and Planning Agency (TEPA).

Officials said the sewer line was uncovered at the time of the accident.

DIG Operations Faisal Kamran told the media that the woman’s body was retrieved after more than six hours of a rescue operation.

He said efforts to find the 10-month-old girl were continuing, with rescue teams searching through drains and sewer lines in the surrounding area.

Faisal Kamran said a high-level committee has been formed to investigate the incident.

He added that police have released three people who were taken into custody, including the woman’s husband.

According to officials, the affected family had arrived from Shorkot to Lahore for sightseeing.

After visiting Minar-e-Pakistan, they went to Data Darbar. After coming out of Data Darbar, the woman sat with her infant daughter on the edge of a nearby sewer line, from where both fell inside.

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has ordered the formation of an inquiry committee headed by the additional chief secretary to investigate the incident.

The committee has been directed to complete its investigation and submit a report within 24 hours.

Project Director Zahid Abbas and Deputy Director Shabbir Ahmed have been suspended for negligence and dereliction of duty.

A spokesperson for the Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) said the accident occurred while development work was in progress in the area.

Preliminary information suggested that the absence of a protective cover on the sewer line led to the incident.

The woman’s husband and mother-in-law were present at the scene at the time of the accident, police said. However, their statements reportedly differed, complicating the investigation.

Police initially took both individuals into custody for questioning to clarify the circumstances of the incident. However, both were released.