Elderly Man Drowns in Housing Society Pool in Pune

Wanowrie, 6th March 2025: An 85-year-old retired management professional tragically drowned in the swimming pool of Sacred Heart Town in Wanowrie on Wednesday morning.

According to Wanowrie police, the elderly man lived in one of the 600 apartments in the gated community with his 82-year-old wife. His daughter and son are based in the United States.

Police sub-inspector Balasaheb Wakade stated, “The society’s lifeguard, who also manages the gym, had advised the man not to enter the pool due to his pre-existing blood pressure and respiratory conditions. Despite the warning, he went ahead with his swim. The lifeguard then stepped away to attend to a water leakage issue inside the gym.”

Shortly after, the lifeguard noticed the man floating unresponsive in the water. “With the help of a security guard, he pulled him out and rushed him to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared him dead,” Wakade added. The body was later sent to the Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC) for post-mortem examination.

Senior Inspector Satyajit Admane confirmed, “AFMC’s preliminary report has determined drowning as the cause of death. We have registered an accidental death case and will conduct further inquiries to establish whether there was any negligence on the part of the lifeguard or other responsible individuals. The victim’s wife confirmed that he had a history of breathing and blood pressure issues but was in the habit of swimming daily. She has not raised any complaints against the pool management.”

The secretary of the housing society stated, “We are aware that an unfortunate drowning took place, but we do not have details of how the incident unfolded. The lifeguard and security staff pulled the man out of the pool as soon as they noticed him.”

The victim’s niece, who was present at AFMC, expressed the family’s shock. “My uncle was a seasoned swimmer and a well-respected expert in strategic management. His sudden passing has deeply saddened his family, friends, and professional associates. He had recently returned from the US after visiting his children. They have been informed and are expected to arrive in Pune on Thursday. His funeral will be held on Friday,” she said.

Authorities have begun an investigation to determine the exact sequence of events. “We will be issuing notices to the lifeguard and society officials to assist in clarifying how the incident occurred,” Senior Inspector Admane added.

Investigations are ongoing to assess any potential lapses in safety protocols at the housing society.

A spokesperson from Ruby Hall Clinic, Ali Daruwala, provided further details on the emergency response. “The patient was brought to our accident and emergency department at 8:30 am in an unconscious and unresponsive state. There was no detectable pulse, blood pressure, or respiratory activity. Despite immediate CPR and advanced life support efforts, there was no return of spontaneous circulation. ECG monitoring confirmed the absence of electrical or mechanical heart activity, and he was officially declared dead at 9:13 am,” he said.