Pune: Six-Year-Old Boy Drowns in Stagnant Water of Under-Maintenance Society Pool

Dhayari, 13th March 2025: A six-year-old boy tragically drowned in an under-maintenance swimming pool filled with stagnant water in a residential society in Dhayari. The child, Yash Gosavi, had been visiting his grandparents with his parents during the summer vacation when the unfortunate incident occurred.

According to Senior Police Inspector Atul Bhos, the child was last seen by his grandfather at a senior citizens’ recreational area in the society. “In the evening, Yash’s grandfather asked him to return home. However, after that, no one saw him for some time. When the family realized he was missing, they, along with other society members, began searching for him. Unfortunately, around 8:30 PM, Yash was found floating in the stagnant pool water. He was immediately rushed to a nearby private hospital and later transferred to Sassoon General Hospital, where he was declared dead,” Bhos stated.

The police received information about the incident from the private hospital around 9:40 PM. “A post-mortem was conducted at Sassoon Hospital, confirming drowning as the cause of death,” Bhos added.

The incident has raised concerns over the lack of safety measures at the society’s swimming pool, which was reportedly not in use but still contained three feet of stagnant water. Police officials questioned how the pool was allowed to accumulate water despite being closed for maintenance.

“There is a serious health risk with such stagnant water, including the potential spread of mosquito-borne diseases like dengue, malaria, and chikungunya. We will be inspecting the site to determine the extent of the hazard,” said a senior official from the Pune Municipal Corporation’s (PMC) Sinhagad ward office.

The PMC’s building permission department, however, stated that the responsibility for maintenance and security of society amenities, including swimming pools, lies with the housing society itself. “The administration does not oversee private society facilities. It is the responsibility of the residents and the society’s executive committee to ensure safety,” a PMC official explained.

Yash’s family, originally from Shrigonda in Ahilyanagar district, had settled in Pune. His father, an employee at a public-sector bank in Khopoli, was devastated by the loss of his only child.

“We are in shock. This should never have happened. If proper precautions were taken, we wouldn’t have lost Yash,” said a grieving relative of the boy.

Meanwhile, society chairman Sanjay Pathare defended the management, stating that the pool was four feet deep and had been under maintenance for some time. “There is usually a security guard present during the day, but no one is stationed there at night. We don’t have CCTV cameras covering the area,” Pathare admitted.

Authorities are now investigating whether negligence by the society’s management contributed to the tragedy. Residents and officials alike are calling for stricter safety regulations to prevent similar incidents in the future.