Lifeguard held after girl, 9, drowns in pool at Kalyan

Police say 19-year-old, who has worked as a swimming instructor and lifeguard at Kalyan’s Godrej Hill society for a year, isn’t qualified for the job

A nine-year-old girl drowned in a swimming pool at the Godrej Hill residential complex in Kalyan on Sunday, after which the 19-year-old lifeguard on duty was arrested.

The girl was identified as Drishty Jaswant Singh, a resident of Rosale Complex at Godrej Hill and a Class 2 student of Podar International School (ICSE). The lifeguard, Hemanth Raut, is a resident of Kalyan who has been working as a lifeguard and swimming instructor at Godrej Hill for a year.

“During investigation it was found that the lifeguard dropped out of school in Class 9 and that he is not qualified to be a lifeguard or a swimming instructor,” said a police inspector at Khadakapada police station.

Drishty went for a swim around 10am on Sunday and is believed to have drowned between 10.30am and 10.45am. Additional police inspector Dinesh Sonawane from Khadakpada police station said, “The girl, who was between two and three feet tall, got into the adult section of the pool, which is at least four feet deep. However, there were 10 to 12 other children in pool, who all started shouting at the lifeguard to rescue her. The guard, however, was looking elsewhere and by the time he saw the girl and jumped in, she had drowned.

He added, “Her family was informed of the incident immediately. They rushed down and took her to Ayush Hospital, but the doctor declared her dead upon arrival. Her body was taken to Rukmini Bai Hospital for a post-mortem.”

An official at Khadakpada police station said, “We have recorded the parents’ statements. They are in shock, and say that Drishty died because of the lifeguard’s negligence. We have booked him under Section 304 (A) of the Indian Penal Code (causing death by negligence). He will be produced in court soon. We will also go through the guard’s certificates and the contract between the society and the agency that provided it swimming instructors.”

Rushik Jamdhade, head of security at Godrej Hill, said, “The lifeguard was present but was unable to rescue the child. It happed very quickly. We have shut the swimming pool and will hold a meeting to decide whether to reopen it. We will also discuss the matter with the swimming instructor’s agency and update the rules and regulations if required. The guard has been arrested and we are co-operating with the investigation.”

Drishty’s parents and siblings have left for their hometown in Uttar Pradesh to conduct her last rites. Additional police inspector Dinesh Sonawane from Khadakpada police station said, “The girl had an elder sister and a younger brother. Her father works for a private firm and her mother is a housewife.”