2-year-old child drowns in pool at under-construction farmhouse in Delhi's Mehrauli

A case was registered against the farmhouse owner and contractor who was later arrested from Devli area, police said.

A two-and-a-half-year-old boy drowned in an uncovered swimming pool while playing at an under-construction farmhouse in south Delhi’s Mehrauli area, police said on Friday.

Police suspect the child went swimming and drowned but are also checking if he drowned after he slipped and fell into the water. (Photo for representation) (Sanchit Khanna/Hindustan Times file photo)

A case was registered against the farmhouse owner and contractor on Thursday, police said. The contractor was arrested from Devli area.

Police suspect the child went swimming and drowned but are also checking if he drowned after he slipped and fell into the water.

According to the police, the incident took place around 6:00pm on Wednesday but was reported around 10:00-11:00pm. The minor was living nearby with his parents who were working on the under-construction site. His family later recovered his body.

Deputy commissioner of police (DCP) (south) Anant Mittal said the pool was uncovered and lacked any safety measures. “The toddler was playing when he slipped and drowned in the pool. The contractor was identified and arrested,” the DCP said.

Police said they are also checking the role of the owner, who was not at the site at the time of the incident.

The pool, approximately 2-3 feet deep, was constructed and subsequently filled with water, police added.

The child’s grandfather, Vipin Singh, said, “ We were all working at the farmhouse. He would often go out to play with other kids. After my daughter-in-law gave him food, around 6:15pm, he went back to play. He was supposed to return in sometime. We didn’t know this would happen.”

After the child did not return, the family began their search. Around 7pm, his grandmother saw his clothes near the pool. When they went to check, they found him inside the pool, said police.

The father, Majhi, said, “When we saw the clothes, we rushed there, but it was too late. He would never go near the pool or touch the water.”

The child was taken to a nearby hospital where doctors declared him dead, the DCP said, adding that a case was registered for negligence leading to death and negligence during construction after the family gave a statement on Thursday.

The family, including parents, grandparents, cousins, had moved from Bhagalpur to Delhi last year and had been working at the farmhouse for the past three months.