5-year-old drowns in resort pool at beach near Mumbai

She slipped from her parents’ hands and fell into the water.

A five-year-old girl drowned in a swimming pool of a resort on Arnala beach, in Virar, on Friday evening, after she slipped from her parents’ hands and fell into the water. The Arnala Coastal police have registered a case of accidental death on Saturday though no arrest has been made yet.

Prapti Patil, the victim, was a resident of Virar. (HT photo)

Prapti Patil, the victim, a resident of Narangi,Virar (East), was visiting Arnala beach with her family on the day of the incident. Her father approached Nisarg Resort for permission to use the washrooms as some of the family members wanted to freshen up. While some of them were in the washroom, Prapti and her parents decided to enter the swimming pool in the resort. Prapti slipped from her parents’ hands and fell into the water. Although she was pulled out of the water and rushed to a nearby private hospital, she was declared dead before admission.

The resort has two adult and one children’s pool and Prapti and her parents had entered the adult pool. “We will question the resort owner as Prapti and her parents’ names were not entered in the guest register,” said an officer.

The resort was packed with picnickers on Friday and all guests had been asked to leave the pool by 5pm. Nisarg Resort is one of the many hotels along the Arnala beach, most of which do not have life guards.