5-year-old drowns in chamber at swimming pool in Jalgaon

Nashik: A five-year-old boy died after drowning in an uncovered chamber at a swimming pool in Jamner, Jalgaon district, on Sunday evening.The police said the child, who had accompanied his father, Ganesh Patil, to the pool, drowned after allegedly wandering into a manhole-like chamber located just 10 to 15 feet from the swimming pool around 6pm.According to the Jamner police, Patil had gone to the changing room after finishing his swim, leaving the child behind. During this brief window, the boy is believed to have moved towards the chamber, where he fell in and drowned."When the father returned, he found that the child had gone missing. This prompted a frantic search by his father and others present at the pool. The boy was finally located nearly an hour later, submerged in the chamber," said inspector Murlidhar Kasar.The boy was taken to the hospital but was declared brought dead. The police have registered a case of accidental death, though they have stated that action will be taken against anyone found responsible for negligence after the investigation is complete. The child's body was taken to his native place on Monday for the last rites.Nitin Bagul, the chief officer of Jamner Municipal Council, confirmed that the swimming pool's operations were outsourced to a contractor in June last year and that a report, along with CCTV footage, has been sought. "We have sought a report from the contractor to whom the operation of the swimming pool has been outsourced. The death took place in the balancing tank where the water for the swimming pool is reserved," Bagul said"Apart from the security guards, lifeguards and the coach, the boy's parents were also present at the facility at the time. The father went to change alone. The report from the contractor, along with the CCTV footage, will clarify the sequence of events at the swimming pool," he added.The police said the exact sequence of events will become clearer after recording the father's statement.