The drowning of three women in a beach resort near Mangaluru has raised questions on whether or not there were any safety measures for those who used the swimming pool. The incident occurred on Sunday morning at a private resort near Uchila Beach, on the outskirts of Mangalore.
The three women, final-year engineering students, checked into the beach resort on Saturday. Around 8:30 am on Sunday, the trio, identified as Nishitha M D, Parvathi S, and Keerthana N, went for a swim. The initial report hints that one of them may have drowned, and the other two likely followed in an attempt to rescue her.
Local media reports claim that there was nobody, including the hotel staff, nearby. The bodies were spotted later by a hotel staffer who immediately alerted the police. The pool reportedly had a depth of six feet towards the deep end.
The Uchila Police have initiated an investigation into the accident. Senior police officials reportedly claimed that there was no life-saving equipment or a lifeguard nearby. The police said that although the victims shouted for help, no one came to their aid. Authorities have sealed the resort and steps are being taken to suspend its operational licence. The police have taken the resort owner, Manohar Puthran, into custody for questioning.
CCTV visuals (viewer discretion advised)
Mangaluru, Karnataka: Three women from Mysuru, Nishitha M.D. (21), Parvathi S. (20), and Keerthana N. (21), tragically drowned in a swimming pool at a resort in Ullal. The resort staff discovered their bodies and immediately notified the police. CCTV footage of the incident has… pic.twitter.com/lcFKoPsjNB
— IANS (@ians_india) November 17, 2024
A harrowing CCTV visual of the incident shows one of the women struggling inside the pool, while the two others attempt to help her. Within a few minutes, one of them is seen going limp, floating in the water while the other two continue to struggle. Soon the other two go motionless, their bodies floating in water.
Images also showed the bodies of the women on the side of the pool.
