CHENNAI: A three-year-old boy died after accidentally falling into an open septic tank at his rented house in Sriperumbudur.

The deceased child, Darshan, was the only son of Mohanraj and Kavitha, a couple from Tindivanam. The family had been living in a rented house at Mevalur village near Sriperumbudur for the past two years. Police said the septic tank at the house had a damaged and unsafe cover for a long time. The couple had complained several times to the house owner and requested repairs, but no action was taken.

On Tuesday evening, Darshan was playing in front of the house when he suddenly went missing. A search in the surrounding area was futile. The parents checked the open septic tank, and initially, nothing was visible. However, fearing the worst, Mohanraj entered the tank, searched and found his son's body submerged.

The boy was immediately taken to the GH in Sriperumbudur, but doctors declared him dead on arrival. On information, the Sriperumbudur police sent the body to the Chengalpattu GH for post-mortem. A case has been registered, and an investigation is under way.

The parents claimed that the accident occurred due to negligence. The police have summoned the house owner for an inquiry.