12-year-old drowns in amusement park pool

Sayeeda Shabreena Taj (12), a student of Mata English School in R.T. Nagar, drowned in the wave pool of Wonder La amusement park in Bidadi of Ramanagaram district.

According to the police, 120 students from the school were on a trip to the amusement park and the tragedy happened when they were enjoying the water games.

“The girl was shifted to Rajarajeshwari Medical College and Hospital on Mysore Road. The parents were informed of the girl's death,” Ramanagaram Deputy Superintendent of Police Ramakrishna said.

Two busloads of students and teachers had come to the park and everything was fine till afternoon. Around 3 p.m., Taj and some friends stepped into a four-foot deep wave pool. As she was splashing about, she accidentally fell and drowned.

In a statement, Wonder La spokesperson Rudresh, expressing deep regret over the death, said the pool was two-and-a-half feet deep and it is manned by 18 lifeguards.

“There were three girls in the pool at the time when a lifeguard noticed the group move towards a pillar in the corner. When one of them began to drown the lifeguard rescued her in less than 15 seconds and tried to resuscitate her. Oxygen was provided at our medical facility and then the girl was rushed to hospital.”

A complaint has been lodged against the amusement park and the school.