Chikkaballapura : A 37-year-old woman drowned in a swimming pool at a private resort near Chintadapi village in Sidlaghatta taluk of Chikkaballapura district on Tuesday evening, police said. The deceased has been identified as Rekha, a resident of Kundalagurki village, who was working with a non-governmental organisation (NGO).
According to police, Rekha had attended a two-day workshop organised by her NGO at a resort-cum-hotel near Chintadapi village. After the day’s sessions concluded, she reportedly entered the swimming pool around 6 pm to swim along with other participants.
Initially, colleagues assumed she was swimming normally, but concern grew when she did not resurface for several minutes. “Her colleagues became suspicious after she remained underwater for an unusually long time. They immediately rushed into the pool and pulled her out,” a police officer said.
She was immediately shifted to the Sidlaghatta Government Hospital, but doctors declared her brought dead. Medical staff confirmed that drowning was the apparent cause of death, though a post-mortem examination has been conducted to determine the exact cause.
Police said Rekha was known to be able to swim, making the incident particularly tragic and unexpected. Investigators are examining whether there was any lapse in safety measures at the resort, including the availability of lifeguards and safety equipment.
A case has been registered at the Sidlaghatta Rural Police Station against the resort management and the NGO organisers for alleged negligence. “We have registered a case of unnatural death and are also probing possible negligence. We are verifying whether adequate safety protocols were in place at the swimming pool,” the investigating officer said.
Authorities have also secured CCTV footage from the resort premises, which reportedly captured the incident. The footage is being analysed as part of the investigation to establish the sequence of events leading to the drowning.
The sudden death has left Rekha’s family and colleagues in shock. Her relatives rushed to the hospital upon receiving the news, and scenes of grief were witnessed as the family struggled to come to terms with the loss.
Police said further action would be taken based on the post-mortem report and findings of the ongoing investigation.
