12-year-old boy dies in ‘illegal’ swimming pool in Meerut

Bareilly: A 12-year-old boy drowned in an alleged illegal and unguarded swimming pool in Meerut Sunday evening. His body was discovered only after staff drained the pool more than three hours later.The victim, Mohd Aakil, a resident of Mohalla Tarapuri in Lisadi Gate, had gone to the Waterland Swimming Pool with friends around 5 pm. His friends left without realizing he was missing, assuming he had returned home. The body was found at 8:15 pm when the pool was emptied at closing time.Aakil was rushed to a private hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival and informed the police.Police have taken pool co-owner Mohd Yasir and operator Mohd Wasim, a resident of Shyamnagar, into custody. Officials said no lifeguard or medical staff were present at the pool during the incident. The facility, owned by Yasir and Wasid of Jatav Gate under Kotwali police station, had been leased to Wasim on contract.The tragedy has reignited concerns over lax enforcement, as the same pool was sealed eight years ago after a 15-year-old drowned under similar circumstances.SP (City) Vinayak Bhonsle confirmed that a detailed investigation is underway. “No formal complaint has been received yet. We are examining all aspects of the case,” he said.Aakil’s father works as a painter.This incident comes just days after another drowning on April 26, when 36-year-old Ashish Singhal, a dry fruit trader from Pilkhuwa, died in a swimming pool in Hapur’s Kotwali area while visiting with family and friends.