Bhayandar drowning incident: Coaches, managing committee booked for negligence

The deceased Granth Mutha. Pics/Hanif Patel

The Navghar police in Bhayandar have registered an FIR against swimming coaches, managing committee members, and trustees of the swimming pool who were contracted to operate the Loknete Gopinath Munde Sports Complex in Bhayandar East, following the death of 10-year-old Granth Mutha, who drowned on Sunday. According to the family, the pool was overcrowded beyond its capacity, with only six lifeguards deployed. The police have launched an investigation into the matter.

Granth had enrolled in a summer camp to learn swimming at the Mira-Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) owned swimming facility. However, due to alleged negligence by the staff, he tragically drowned in the pool.

The Loknete Gopinath Munde Sports Complex in Bhayandar East, where the tragedy occurred

Police have booked four coaches - Narayan Subhash Nayak, 28, Hingola Simachal Nayak, 20, Prathamesh Mohan Kadam, 25, and Arjun Laxman Kadam, 23 - as well as Sahas Charitable Trust, the swimming pool's management committee, and others for negligence. The complaint was filed by Granth's father, Hasmukh Ramesh Mutha, 42, a resident of Mahadev Heights, Planetaria Complex, Maheshwari Bhavan Road, Bhayandar West.

According to police officials, Granth had joined the summer camp on April 16 for a 15-day course, attending the morning batch from 7 am to 8 am and also on Sundays from 11 am to 12 pm. On Sunday, between 11 am and 12 pm, Granth was in the pool with other participants when he suddenly went missing.

Granth's father said, "The contractor admitted more people into the pool than allowed, which led to this incident. To make more money, they accepted more students and deployed only six lifeguards, who were also coaches. My son died because of their negligence. I have called on our community to protest and demand strict action against those responsible."

He added, "I lost my child, but I won't let those responsible get away with it. My son was innocent - he simply wanted to learn swimming. We're not allowed inside the pool area as parents. We drop our kids at the gate and trust the authorities to ensure their safety. But they failed us and played with innocent lives. The police must arrest all responsible people and take the strictest action possible."

MBMC Community Development Officer Deepali Pawar told mid-day, "All pool records are now with Navghar police, and CCTV footage has been seized. We had leased the pool to a contractor for five years. The police have registered the FIR and are investigating."

Senior Inspector Dheeraj Koli said, "We reviewed the CCTV footage. Granth was swimming across the lane. After reaching the deep end - between 6 to 8 feet - he began to drown. A float was near him, and coaches and lifeguards were present, but none noticed him struggling. He was later seen floating in the water. It took a few minutes for people to realise what had happened, and they pulled him out."

"Bystanders tried to revive him and rushed him to Tunga Hospital, but he was declared dead on arrival. We have registered the FIR against the four coaches, Sahas Charitable Trust, the pool's administrative team, and others for negligence. We've also requested a detailed report on the number of students admitted and whether the pool was overcrowded. The FIR was registered under Sections 106 and 3(5) of the BNS Act, and the investigation is ongoing."