Delhi: Teen drowns in pool at water park

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Gagandeep’s uncle Paramjeet said, “Gagan’s friend Montu called us up and told us that Gagandeep was very ill. His parents work as security guards in a mall and come home late, so they were not home when the call came. Gagandeep’s mother had not allowed him to go to the park when he called her up for money to buy tickets. It was Montu who lent him Rs 900.”

“His friends did not find him and raised an alarm. After that, many other people dived in and found him lying at the bottom,” the uncle said.

He said the friends tried to resuscitate him but he did not regain consciousness. “The pool authorities did not assist in their efforts to revive Gagandeep, nor did they call police or ambulance services till Gagandeep’s friends began threatening them with police action,” he alleged.

That is when the pool authorities provided a car. Gagandeep was taken to a nearby private hospital where he was declared brought dead, the uncle claimed.

According to police, the friends said in their statement that Gagandeep did not know how to swim. Police also said there is a system at the pool which generates artificial sea waves — something police are looking into as a possible cause for the mishap.

“We have registered a case of death due to negligence and are questioning pool staff against the statements of victim’s friends. We have informed the family and sent the body for an autopsy to Babu Jagjivan Ram Hospital. No arrests have been made yet,” DCP (Outer) Vikramjit Singh said. He also said police are verifying if the lifeguards hold valid licences and if the park is following prescribed norms.