The incident took place when victim Shuwan, who had come to Muradnagr to visit his uncle, was playing outside the uncle's house in New Noorganj Colony here and suddenly disappeared, police said.
After a while, he was found lying in a nearby drain, they said.
The boy was rushed to hospital, but was declared dead, they added.
Angry over the incident, residents of the colony kept the boy's body on the road and held a protest, alleging that despite several accidents, the Nagar Palika has not yet covered the drain.