VALPOI
Barely four days after the drowning of a Vasco student at the Tonir (Kajredhat) waterfall, Sattari Taluka was struck by another heartbreaking tragedy on Monday when a two-and-a-half-year-old boy died after the toilet wall suddenly collapsed on him in his house at Nanus-Valpoi.
According to reports, the incident took place as the child, Zhoraik Aga, was near the toilet area of the house while his mother was washing clothes nearby. She briefly went into the kitchen for some work, and within moments a loud crashing sound was heard.
Family members rushed to the spot and found that the toilet wall had collapsed, with a large stone block falling directly on the child’s head.
The impact caused severe head injuries and heavy bleeding. Family members and neighbours immediately rushed Zhoraik to the Valpoi Community Health Centre. After administering first aid, doctors referred him to Goa Medical College Hospital at Bambolim for further treatment. However, doctors at GMC declared the child dead.
The tragic incident shocked residents of Nanus and across Sattari taluka. A number of villagers gathered at the spot to express grief, while offering support to the bereaved family.
With heavy rainfall lashing Sattari over the past several days, it is suspected that the wall may have remained damp for a prolonged period, weakening its structure and leading to the sudden collapse.
The Aga family is reportedly living in severe financial hardship. The child’s father works as a daily-wage labourer to support the family. Villagers have appealed for financial and social assistance for the family, while also urging authorities to conduct a survey of unsafe and dilapidated structures and take preventive measures to avoid such tragedies in the future.
Valpoi police conducted a panchanama, and sent the body to GMC hospital for post-mortem examination. Police Inspector Videsh Pilgaonkar is supervising the investigation, and further inquiries are underway.
This is the second major tragedy to hit Sattari in less than a week. On August 7, Rahul Bind, a student from Vasco, drowned at the Tonir–Kajredhat waterfall in Savarde.
