5-Year-Old Naman Found Dead in Canal 24 Hours After Going Missing in Balaghat

Balaghat, Madhya Pradesh: A tragic incident shook the village of Jodapat in Warasevni district when five-year-old Naman Bazanghate, who had gone missing while playing near his home, was found dead in a canal approximately 24 hours later. The heartbreaking discovery has left the family and entire community in mourning.

Child Missing While Playing Near Home

According to family members, Naman was playing outside his house around 6 PM on January 25, while his mother and other family members were busy with household work. When his mother called out to him, he did not respond. Despite searching the surrounding area, neighbors’ houses, and nearby lanes, the child could not be found.

Village-Wide Search and Police Involvement

As night fell, the worried family, with help from villagers, announced a village-wide search, checking fields, barns, roads, and abandoned houses. After exhausting local efforts, the family informed the Warasevni police station. A joint search operation by police and villagers continued late into the night, but Naman remained missing.

Body Found in Canal the Next Morning

Search efforts resumed on the morning of January 26. During a search along the outskirts of the village and near the canal, a child’s body was spotted floating in the water about one kilometer from Naman’s home. Villagers immediately alerted the police, who recovered the body with local assistance.

Identification and Cause of Death

The child’s body was identified as Naman Bazanghate based on clothing and physical features, leading to anguished cries from family members. SDOP Vikas Singh stated that the preliminary assessment suggests the child may have drowned, as no external injuries were found on the body. Naman was last seen walking toward his grandmother’s shop. The exact cause of death will be confirmed after the post-mortem report. Police are also investigating how the child reached the canal—whether he wandered there while playing or due to other circumstances—and questioning locals to piece together the events leading to the tragedy.