Gurgaon, July 26, 2024 – A heart-wrenching incident unfolded at BPTP Park Serene in Sector 37D, Gurgaon, on Wednesday evening when a 5-year-old boy, Mewansh Singla, tragically drowned in the swimming pool of his housing society. Despite the presence of two lifeguards, who were allegedly preoccupied with their phones, the boy’s struggle went unnoticed for crucial minutes.
Incident Details: Mewansh Singla, a pre-primary student of Suncity School, was fond of swimming and frequented the pool daily after school. On Wednesday, he accompanied his grandmother to the pool around 4 pm. Later in the evening, while his grandmother attended a religious program at the clubhouse, Mewansh returned to the pool. Despite the presence of lifeguards, he moved from the shallow kids’ section to the deeper section meant for adults, where he struggled to stay afloat.
Negligence and Response: Witnesses reported that the lifeguards did not react as Mewansh struggled for 6-7 minutes. It was only after children in the pool screamed for help that one of the lifeguards jumped in to pull Mewansh out. He was rushed to a nearby hospital but was declared dead on arrival.
Lack of Training: The two lifeguards, Durg from Damoh in MP and Akash from Gopalganj in Bihar, admitted they were neither expertly trained swimmers nor trained in CPR. Both were new to the job, with one hired just a couple of days ago and the other about a week ago. This lack of training has raised serious questions about the hiring practices of the facility management.
Legal Action: A complaint lodged by Mewansh’s family led to an FIR being registered against the two lifeguards, the developer, and the facility management company under Section 106 (causing death by negligence) of the BNS. The guards were arrested, and police investigations are ongoing to determine their training credentials.
Community Reaction: Residents of BPTP Park Serene, which houses around 400 families, expressed their grief and outrage over the incident. Sita Ram Singla, Mewansh’s grandfather, emphasized the need for proper training and vigilance from lifeguards. Hemant Kumar, vice-president of the BPTP Park Serene RWA, called for accountability from the maintenance agency.
Official Statements: BPMS Management, responsible for the pool’s maintenance, stated that lifeguards were hired by another agency, Sumit Swimming Institute. They expressed condolences and assured cooperation with the authorities for a thorough investigation.
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