Two friends drown in Sector 23 pool

The deceased were identified as Ajay Laholta (27) and Nitin Mokta (26),both residents of Shimla. While Ajay was employed with HDFC Bank,Chandigarh,Nitin,who runs a smalltime business in Shimla,had come to meet Ajay on Wednesday.

The police suspect that the duo had scaled the six-ft wall of the ‘Nursery swimming pool’ complex as the the only entry-exit gate of the complex closes at 7 pm. The pool is run by the UT Sports Department. The preliminary investigations conducted by the police reveal that Nitin Mokta had come to Chandigarh on Wednesday afternoon along with three friends Devash Mehta ,Ashish Chowhan and Nitin Chowhan,all residents of Himachal Pradesh. They all were staying with Ajay at his rented accommodation in Sector 23.

Ashish Chowhan disclosed that they all had dinner together on Thursday night and Ajay and Nitin then left home to take a stroll at around midnight. “On Thursday evening we all celebrated Nitin Chowhan’s birthday and the same night we lost two of our dear friends,” said an inconsolable Ashish. “At around midnight,Ajay and Nitin told us that they might go to the swimming pool. They left and we three stayed back. When they did not return till 1.30 am,we got worried and Nitin Chouhwan decided to go to the swimming pool to look for Ajay and Nitin,” he said.

“After some time,Nitin Chowhan came back and informed that both Ajay and Nitin had drowned in the pool and we informed the police”,Ashish told Newsline. “We all rushed to the spot. The police fished out the bodies and took them to the Government Multi-Specialty Hospital,Sector 16 (GMSH-16),where doctors declared them ‘dead on arrival’,” added Ashish.

Nitin Chouhwan was in a state of shock as he had witnessed Ajay and Nitin Mokta screaming when he had gone to the swimming pool to look for them. “When I approached the swimming pool,I heard screams and I could guess that Nitin Mokta,who did not know how to swim,was in trouble. When I reached closer,I saw Ajay trying to rescue him with a tree branch. I too tried to help them by bringing a ladder which was lying nearby but I could not help. I shouted for help but no one could hear. I rushed back home to inform my other friends. But before help could come,they had lost the battle,” lamented Nitin Chouhwan.

“The circumstances reveal that Ajay was trying to save Nitin Mokta. We also recovered a branch of a tree that was floating in the swimming pool. The tree branch was used by Ajay to try save his friend,” said Sector 17 police station SHO Inspector Ranjodh Singh said. “The police reached the spot at around 2.30 am and the bodies were fished out with the help of fire brigade men. The bodies did not bear any injury marks,” added Inspector Singh.

The police said that the guard at the pool was not aware of the entry of the two youth. “Normally,the swimming pool gets closed at 7 pm and no one is allowed to enter after that,” informed a police officer. The post mortem of the bodies was conducted at GMCH-16 and the preliminary findings have ruled out any foul play.

“These are anti-mortem deaths and we have sent the viscera to the CFSL for a chemical examination to find out whether there was any intoxicant present in the bodies,” said a doctor at GMSH. After the post mortem,the bodies were handed over to the two families.

‘Nursery’ pool

The swimming pool where the incident took place has a slope ranging from four feet (the shallow point) to 12 feet (the deepest point). There is a guard manning the complex,where the pool is constructed,throughout the day. The pool is open from 5.45 am to 8.10 am in the morning and 4 pm to 7 pm in the afternoon. Children are given swimming coaching at the pool by trained swimmers. Though life guards remain present during the functional hours,they leave at 7 pm after which the pool is out of bound for visitors.