Swimmer's death: KMC files plaint against College Square

Kolkata: The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) on Friday lodged a complaint with the Amherst Street Police station against the authorities who were responsible for the maintenance of the College Square swimming pool where former national level swimmer Kajal Dutta had drowned on August 11.

"In our enquiry we have found that some structures of bamboo and wood were illegally constructed under the swimming bay flouting the civic norms. We have lodged a complaint against the authorities who are associated with the upkeep of the pool," Member Mayor in Council (Parks & Gardens) Debasish Kumar said. Kumar had earlier said that the civic body will take strong action against the offender. The KMC team on Friday dismantled the illegal structure at College Square. The entire water in the pool has already been drained away.

According to KMC officials such type of structure is dangerous for the swimmers. Life member of Bowbazar Byayam Samiti Dutta used to visit the swimming pool quite often for swimming. He was trapped inside the wooden structure and his body was recovered by the disaster management team, more than 24 hours after he drowned in the pool. The victim himself was a swimming trainer. Many people in the area have raised questions on how a person like Dutta who was a champion swimmer could drown in a pool like this. The pool at College Square is around 10,000 square metre in area and around 25ft deep at the centre. Apart from Bowbazar Byayam Samity , there are five other clubs that use the pool.