Delhi man slips into open drain, locals form rescue team with discarded cable

A man who fell into an open drain in Delhi's Mathura road area was pulled out by locals using a discarded cable. A video of the daring rescue has gone viral.A man fell into a drain in Delhi and was rescued later.A man fell into an open drain near Delhi’s Mathura Road on Wednesday, but locals present nearby managed to pull him to safety using a discarded cable. The rescue was captured on camera and the video has since gone viral.The incident took place at Sarita Vihar, where the man slipped from the footpath and fell into the open drain. People nearby spotted him and immediately rushed to help.With no rescue equipment available at the spot, locals found a discarded cable lying nearby and lowered it into the drain. The man grabbed hold of it, allowing those gathered above to pull him out.A person passing by recorded the rescue, capturing the moment several people worked together to haul the man out of the drain. The video has garnered much praise for the locals and their quick response. Watch the video here:The incident has also raised concerns over the dangers posed by open drains in the capital. This is the third incident in the Sarita Vihar area within 20 days. The Ali Vihar drain runs alongside Mathura Road, a busy stretch where pedestrians and motorists regularly pass. In this case, people witnessing the fall were able to intervene before the situation turned more serious.The Sarita Vihar incident comes amid growing concerns over open drains in the capital. On August 22, a 15-year-old boy fell into an open drain in Delhi’s Jasola while flying a kite. His body was recovered on Tuesday.Shortly before the recovery, his distraught father, Awadhesh Kumar, was seen clearing garbage from the drain with his bare hands, saying, “If this garbage is removed, my son will be found.”While the man in Sarita Vihar was fortunate to have alert locals nearby who pulled him to safety, the Jasola teenager was not. The two incidents, days apart, underline the dangers posed by open drains and the potentially devastating consequences when basic safety measures are missing.- EndsPublished By: Srimoyee ChowdhuryPublished On: Aug 27, 2026 12:13 IST