4-yr-old drowns in Anna Swimming Pool near Marina beach
Following the incident, the swimming pool has been closed down temporarily.
Chief Minister MK Stalin
CHENNAI: A four-year-old boy drowned in the government-run Anna Swimming pool near Marina Beach on Saturday evening when he was left unattended for a few minutes by the family when they were changing clothes.
Following the incident, the swimming pool has been closed down temporarily.
SDAT (Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu) has suspended two lifeguards.
The deceased was identified as H Anirudh Krishnan.
The family is from Pallikaranai, police said. The child's father, Hariharan works as a marketing executive in Thanjavur and used to visit the family during weekends.
On Saturday, six of the family including the child went to the Marina beach and had then visited the swimming pool around 4 p.m.
Anirudh and another child and the grandmother was in the 2.5 feet deep pool for children while the other family members were in the pool for adults, which is seven feet deep, police investigations revealed.
Around 4:30 pm, the adults got out of the pool to change their clothes and when they returned, Anirudh was not to be found.
Soon, one of the lifeguards noticed the child lying unconscious and fished him out of the swimming pool.
The child was rushed to the Government Kasturba Gandhi Hospital For Women And Children where the child was declared as brought dead.
Anna Square Police have registered a case under section 174 CrPC (unnatural death) and are investigating. A police official said that there are CCTV cameras installed in the pool, but they are not facing the pool due to privacy concerns.
"We will be reviewing if any CCTV can be installed facing the pool for constant monitoring of the public especially when the pool is crowded," the official added.
Police investigations revealed that eight lifeguards are employed in the pool.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the kid was not provided a lifebuoy or other safety equipment.
Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Sunday expressed deepest condolences and announced a solatium of Rs 3 lakh to the family of Anirudh.
"I have directed the officials to conduct a departmental inquiry into the boy's death and take appropriate action," added Stalin.
