In a disturbing incident, Gwalior Police on Wednesday exhumed the body of a seven-year-old boy who allegedly drowned in a swimming pool at a plush private hotel in the city. The boy, identified as Ved Pal, had checked into the hotel with his family for a dinner outing and a pool party on Monday night. He was later found unconscious inside the main swimming pool and was rushed to a hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival.
Family Alleges Negligence
Investigating officers said they were probing allegations of negligence and inadequate safety measures put forward by the deceased minor's family. The family initially believed he died in a swimming accident and buried his mortal remains on the same night. However, after speaking to relatives and acquaintances, they approached police alleging negligence and a lack of adequate safety measures in the hotel premises. They demanded a proper investigation and post-mortem to determine the exact circumstances leading to his death.
Body Exhumed for Autopsy
On the family's complaint, the police registered an unnatural death case and initiated the process of exhuming the body. The minor's body was exhumed on Wednesday from the burial site in the presence of an executive magistrate before being sent for an autopsy. After the post-mortem examination, the body was handed back to the family.
Investigation Underway
The investigating officers said they were examining whether standard safety measures, including deployment of lifeguards and monitoring of the pool area, were in place at the time of the incident. The police said they were also in the process of collecting CCTV footage, while the hotel staff were being questioned for leads.
Gwalior Senior Superintendent of Police Dharamveer Sing Yadav told TOI, "A case of unnatural death was registered and the body was exhumed following due process, in the presence of an executive magistrate. We can only shed light on the cause of death once we get the post-mortem report. Our investigation is currently focused on determining whether adequate security protocols and safety measures were in place at the hotel and if there was any negligence on the part of the staff."
