A picnic turned disastrous for the Makwana family from Dahisar after their 12-year-old son Nikhil drowned in a swimming pool at a Virar resort on Monday afternoon.
Ironically, Nikhil’s father wasn’t keen on going to a resort and wanted to plan a holiday at a hill station but on the insistence of his son, they went to a resort in Virar where tragedy struck. Nikhil’s father Deepak, who runs a photoframe store near Dahisar station, said, “I was planning to take the family to a hill station. However, last week the plan had to be cancelled. But, Nikhil forced me to take them to a resort in Virar saying that after his school resumed they would not get time later.”
After much pleading, Deepak gave in and on Monday, the Makwanas left for Patil resort in Virar. All was going fine and the entire family was having fun at the pool. It was then that Nikhil jumped into the water and fell headfirst. Immediately, his brother Shrutik yelled for help. On hearing pleas for help, Deepak and a lifeguard present at the spot dived into the water, fished him out and rushed him to a nearby hospital but he was declared dead on arrival. Deepak said he had no complains against anyone.
The Arnala Sagari police in Virar have booked resort owner Ritesh Patil, manager Harish Patil and lifeguard Diego de Silva for negligence. They were produced in the local court and remanded to custody. Meanwhile, MC Compound, Yadav Nagar at Dahisar (East), the area where Nikhil lived turned silent and was mourning Nikhil’s death. One of Nikhil’s close friends, Pratik Patel said, “In the morning while leaving he said that we would play cricket with me. Now, he will never return and I am deeply saddened by the whole tragedy.”(MD)
