2 people arrested after BPTP residents protested drowning of minor

Gurugram:

Two more suspects, including the contractor who managed the three swimming pools at the BPTP community club in Sector-37D, were arrested on Saturday night for allegedly causing the death of a boy by drowning through their negligence, police said.

The arrests came after at least 100 residents protested outside the Gurugram police chief’s office for nearly two hours on Saturday morning, demanding action against the management.

The residents had organised a rally of at least 80 cars carrying posters reading ‘Justice for Mevansh’ to reach the office of the senior police officer in their town.

According to the police, those arrested on Saturday have been identified as contractor Sumit Kumar and a lifeguard Naresh Kumar, both originally from Jind. Earlier on Thursday, the police had arrested lifeguards Durg and Akash Kumar who were deployed at the 1.5-foot deep pool meant for children.

It was at this pool that the deceased five-year-old boy Mevansh Singla was initially present with his grandmother on Wednesday night but later went to the four-foot deep pool meant for adults. He drowned when the woman went upstairs to get some things.

Inspector Sandeep Kumar, Sector-10 police officer, said Sumit had an agreement with the civic body for the past two years to manage the three swimming pools in the club.

“Moreover, Naresh, another lifeguard who had started working there two months ago, was the one on duty at the pool meant for adults when the accident occurred,” he said.

The SHO said further investigation into the matter is underway and more arrests will be made if more people are caught in negligence.

Meanwhile, after arriving at the CP office on Saturday morning, residents chanted slogans against the developer for the negligence that led to the boy’s death.

Group Leader (Retired) Sandeep Sharma, the RWA chairman of BPTP Park Serene, where the deceased boy lived, said they had been making written complaints to the management for the past two years to ensure safety at the pools, but no action had been taken so far.

“Rescue workers never sit on the elevated platforms to keep watch. There is no access control to the pools. We will continue our protest until the police take action against the negligent management,” Sharma added. Earlier, the residents had held a candlelight march at the premises on Friday night as a symbolic protest.