Mangalore: Boy's death in swimming pool - Family allege murder
Brijesh Garodi
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore
Mangalore, Nov 18: Sohan, a 13-year-old resident of Boloor, son of Somashekar and Prameela, and student of class 8 in Amritha Vidayalaya, Boloor, had drowned in the Mangalore City Corporation (MCC) swimming pool on October 25 this year.
It is learnt that Sohan along with his friends took tickets and went to the pool for a swim. Although there were expert trainers, nobody knew how the boy drowned. Later, when his friends went searching for him, they found his body in the pool. Immediately, Sohan was rushed to a nearby nursing home. He was later shifted to AJ Hospital, but in vain.
Spot where Sohan drowned
The death of Sohan had been registered at Barke police station under IPC section 304 A (death caused due to negligence) and the police carried out investigations.
Addressing a press meet here on Monday November 18, Yashwanth P Mendon, president, Mangalore Moghaveera Yeelu Pattana Samyuktha Sabha (R), Boloor, said Sohan's death was not natural and murder was being suspected. “His other classmates who were in the swimming pool had a fight resulting in Sohan's injury and subsequent drowning. The case has been registered and an FIR filed under Section 304 A, but it should be made 302 A (murder) and the hidden hands behind the death of this boy must be revealed. It is learnt that Sohan had a clash with a few of his classmates and that he had been having nightmares that they would kill him. The parents of the boy had also offered special puja in the nearby temple,” he said.
“The fact is that the boys whom Sohan was afraid of, were also in the pool along with two other boys and they have taken revenge that has led to the boy’s death. It’s not death by negligence but a murder,” he asserted.
“We have also submitted a memorandum to the DCP seeking further investigations into the case, who in turn has directed the concerned officials to do the same. If the department fails to investigate and give us proper justice, we are ready to carry out protests in the coming days,” warned Mendon.
“Sohan was a good swimmer and he swam well in the river. This is just a swimming pool and it is hard to believe that he has drowned there. This is a clearcut case of murder,” he alleged.
Mendon also alleged that the swimming pool lacks facilities like CCTV cameras and emergency oxygen supply cylinders. He alleged that the lifeguards and the management are not bothered about the safety of the swimmers and requested the MCC to lock the swimming pool until the said facilities are installed.
H Gangadhar, advocate and member of Mangalore Mogaveera Yelu Pattana Samyuktha Sabha (R), Boloor, said that the death occurred because of the carelessness of the MCC swimming pool authorities and there was clotting of blood found near the deceased boy's eyes and head. “The police should investigate the case without any bias so that the boy's family gets justice,” he added.
Rajesh Kanchan, president, Hadinalku Pattana Mogaveera Samyuktha Sabha, Lakshman Amin secretary, Mohan Chandra H, treasurer, Mangalore Mogaveera Yelu Pattana Samyuktha Sabha (R) Boloor, Vasudev Salian Thimappa Shriyan, and Vasanth Amin were the other members present at the press meet.
Speaking to Daijiworld, the family members of Sohan said that the boy had been talking in his sleep about the possibility of an attack on him by his friends. “But as our house is very close to the school, we did not take this matter very seriously as we could approach the school anytime. Those two boys had also been sending chits to other students urging them not to speak to Sohan,” they said.
Speaking to Daijiworld, the manager of the pool, said that the boy had drowned in the pool between 6:30 pm and 6:45 pm. “He was pulled out from the pool and given temporary respiration. As he had consumed fried rice before he had come to the pool, he started to vomit and it was stuck in his throat and hence, he was unable to breathe and was serious. We summoned 108, but as they delayed in reaching the spot, we were forced to rush him to the hospital in a private car,” he added.
A Barke police official claimed that the post mortem report has made no mention of external injuries on the body and an FIR has been registered under Section 304 A and investigations have been carried out in this case.
“As the people related to Sohan have met the DCP and handed over a memorandum, the DCP has ordered me to carry out further investigations. We have summoned and interrogated two of his friends and interrogated them but there appears to be no suspicion of murder. The pool sees rush during the peak hours and the people who were present there at the time of the incident have also stated that it was death due to drowning. Anyway, the investigation is on,” he added.
It is also learnt that Sohan was the one who had called the two boys for swimming that evening. The three had gone together for swimming and also those two boys attended his funeral.