CHENNAI: An eight-year-old boy died after he allegedly fell into a septic tank while playing in his neighbourhood, near Red Hills on Wednesday evening. The Red Hills police identified the boy as B Hemnath of Padianallur near Red Hills.

The boy was living with his mother Divya after his parents separated a few years ago.

According to the police, Hemnath was studying in Class 3 at a government school in the locality. On Wednesday evening, the boy was playing with a group of children in the neighbourhood when the incident happened. Police said while playing hide and seek, Hemnath went to hide in a house in the next street.

There, as he was standing on top of the metal cover of the septic tank, it broke and he fell inside the tank. A few from the neighbourhood who saw him falling immediately alerted the police and the Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Service. The personnel managed to pull the boy from the tank.

Hemnath was rushed to a hospital nearby, where he was declared brought dead. His body was sent to Stanley hospital for autopsy, and further investigations are on.