Investigation launched to examine circumstances, determine negligence and assign responsibility
The Lahore district administration on Wednesday sealed a private water park in Batapur after a nine-year-old girl allegedly became trapped in a drainage pipe and died during pool-draining operations, while police arrested three officials of the facility in connection with the incident.
The incident occurred on Monday at Sozo Water Park, where the management allegedly began draining a swimming pool before ensuring that children had exited the water. According to police, suction from a high-capacity drainage pump pulled the girl into the pool’s drainage pipe, where she became trapped.
Rescue teams searched for the child for around 40 to 50 minutes before locating her inside the drainage pipe. She could not be revived.
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Following the incident, the district administration sealed the water park and suspended all activities. A district administration spokesperson said the facility had been sealed on the day of the incident and legal action had been initiated against its management over alleged negligence.
The spokesperson also said the water park had been operating without the required fitness and safety arrangements.
Batapur police registered a case under Section 322 (manslaughter) of the Pakistan Penal Code on the complaint of the victim’s mother.
In the complaint, the mother alleged that her daughter’s death resulted from the negligence of the water park administration and nominated the park’s manager, the security in charge, and the CCTV in charge in the case.
A spokesperson for the deputy inspector general of police (DIG) operations said all three nominated suspects had been arrested.
The police spokesperson also highlighted that the girl died after becoming trapped in the drainage pipe and noted that no safety net had been installed over the opening.
DIG Operations Faisal Kamran said an investigation had been launched to examine the circumstances surrounding the incident, determine the extent of any negligence, and assign responsibility to those found responsible.
The investigation is focusing on the alleged decision to begin draining the pool while children were still inside and whether mandatory safety measures around the drainage system had been ignored, he said.
Kamran said strict action would be taken against those responsible for the girl’s death and that justice would be ensured for the victim.
The victim had recently returned from Dubai with her family and was her parents’ only daughter.
