A five-year-old boy died after falling into an open manhole while playing in Lahore’s Sundar area, police said on Tuesday, triggering public outrage and renewed concerns over civic safety.

According to police, Muhammad Hussain was playing in the street when he accidentally fell into an uncovered manhole. Rescue teams rushed to the scene after being alerted and launched an operation to retrieve the child.

The boy was pulled from the manhole and shifted to Indus Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries upon arrival, police said.

After completing legal formalities, hospital authorities handed over the body to the child’s family.

The incident sparked anger among local residents, who said open manholes continue to pose a serious threat to citizens, particularly children.

Residents demanded the immediate covering of all exposed manholes in the area and action against those responsible.

Locals said the tragedy came just a day after another child narrowly escaped a similar fate in the same neighbourhood.

A seven-year-old boy reportedly fell into an open manhole on Monday but was rescued in time by nearby residents.

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz took notice of the incident and sought an immediate report from the relevant authorities. She also expressed sympathy and condolences to the bereaved family.

The latest incident has once again raised questions about public safety and the condition of civic infrastructure in Lahore.

Earlier this year, a woman and her 10-month-old daughter lost their lives after falling into an open sewer line near Data Darbar.

The victims, who had travelled from Shorkot to Lahore for sightseeing, fell into the uncovered drain after visiting the shrine.

The accident occurred in an area where development work was being carried out by the Traffic Engineering and Planning Agency (TEPA).

Rescue teams recovered the woman’s body after more than six hours, while the infant’s body was later found during an extensive search operation through nearby drains and sewer lines.