Pune: A four-year-old girl had a narrow escape on Saturday night after falling into a 15-foot-deep pit intended for mechanical parking at a housing society in Wakad. The child sustained injuries to her head and back and was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital by her mother. “My daughter was discharged on Sunday, but she remains deeply traumatised,” said Sanjivani Sangle, the girl’s mother and a resident of Aswani Galaxy. Following the incident, the Wakad police registered a case under Section 125 (act endangering life or personal safety of others) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanstha (BNS) against the project’s builder and a director of the multi-level car parking firm. “Our investigations are on,” said police sub-inspector Lalit More. The accident occurred around 9 pm during a birthday party held in the society garden. “I was reaching for a toy for her when she ran toward the pit and fell in within seconds,” Sangle recounted. She was prepared to jump in herself, but a security guard intervened, descending into the pit to rescue the girl. The victim’s father, Anil Sangle, who is associated with the Pimpri Chinchwad police, highlighted the persistent danger at the complex. “There are at least 220 families living here at risk because this pit remains open. My daughter is safe today, but this should never happen to another child,” he said. Residents noted that while iron barricades were eventually installed after repeated complaints, the site remains hazardous. According to the Sangle family, work on the mechanical parking system has been stalled for several years. In response, an official from the builder’s office called the incident “unfortunate” and confirmed that representatives visited the family on Monday. “The project is 90% complete, but there have been delays from the appointed agency. We have assured residents that the remaining work will be finished soon,” the official stated.
