Gurudutt, a class VIII student of RMV School in Sanjayanagar who drowned in the Hebbal lake on Saturday afternoon could have been saved if there were warning sign board near the lake.
The 14 year old was lured to the lake for a swim by his friends.
“Gurudutt, along with his eight classmates, unknowingly went to a particular spot in the lake where there was lot of slush and quicksand. Gurudutt’s feet got caught in the slush and he couldn’t come out of it. His friends tried to pull him out but they couldn’t rescue him,” said an official source. He added that the slush may have been left behind after the lake was desilted.
Since there was a family function at Gurudutt’s house, his parents didn't realise that he had not returned home till late evening.
Though a missing complaint was lodged by the victim’s father on Saturday itself, his friends informed the family only on Sunday.
His body was fished out by the Rescue Team of the Fire and Emergency Services department on Monday. He was cremated on Tuesday and Sanjayanagar police have registered a case of unnatural death.
Sources said though the lake was entrusted to a private party, it has no manned security nor warning boards asking people to keep away from the lake.
Leased to hotel
The 150 acre water body was leased to the East India Hotels Ltd (EIH), a unit of the Oberoi group, to develop it under a public-private partnership. The plan entailed construction of a floating restaurant by the EIH to use the lake for 15 years for an annual fee of Rs 72 lakh to the Lake Development Authority.
