12-year-old drowns in Raparin after bulldozer operator allegedly causes water surge

RAPARIN — A 12-year-old boy drowned Friday afternoon in a water pit near Astrilan village in Chwarqurna sub-district, part of Sulaymaniyah’s Raparin autonomous administration, after a bulldozer operator allegedly attempted to frighten him and another child playing in the water.

According to a statement from the Raparin Police Directorate, the incident took place around 4:30 p.m. in an abandoned water pit behind an aggregate plant. The two boys had entered the pit to swim when the operator moved the bulldozer toward them. Surveillance footage reviewed by investigators showed the driver approaching the pit with the machine in what appeared to be an effort to scare the children.

“The man, who is a contract worker and operates the plant’s bulldozer, drove the vehicle close to the edge of the pit where the boys were playing and caused a surge in the water,” the police statement said. “One of the boys was dragged under and drowned, while the other managed to escape.”

Hajiawa police arrested the operator shortly after the incident. During questioning, he admitted to driving the bulldozer toward the children. “I wanted to scare the boys so they wouldn’t swim there again,” he told police, according to the report.

The driver has been charged under Article 405 of the Iraqi Penal Code and remains in custody pending further investigation by the Hajiawa court.