Boy drowns in well while fetching water in India's drought-hit Maharashtra

A 11-year-old boy slipped into a deep well and drowned while fetching water in drought-hit India's western state of Maharashtra, reports said Friday.

The child identified as Sachin Kengar had gone to well on Thursday to fill his vessel in Beed district, where he slipped to death, according to relatives

Video footage broadcast on Indian TV news channels showed villagers pulling Kengar's body out of the well and trying to revive him.

Reports said Kengar was taken to hospital immediately, but doctors declared him brought dead.

Indian government recently said a population of 330 million in 256 districts spread over 12 states across the country were affected by ongoing drought.

In Maharashtra's Marathwada region, officials say dams are left with just three percent of water.

Local authorities have started ferrying water in trains to the affected area.

The police officials fearing violence over water have imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144 (government order) as "precautionary" measure around water sources. The order prohibits assembly of more than four persons in public place.

Two successive poor monsoons have triggered drought-like situation in many Indian states, causing worries to people especially farming community and pushed them to the wall.

This year the situation worsened owing to prevailing unrelenting heat in several states that so far has claimed over 100 deaths.

The day temperature hovers above 40 degrees Celsius.

Officials said the usual April rains have been delayed in the states under intense grip of heat, pushing mercury upwards. Endit