Four-year-old drowns in pool at school

Kolkata: Sambuddho Ghosh (4), an autistic child and a student of Asha School, Kolkata, drowned in a hydrotherapy pool on the school campus on Wednesday afternoon.

Family members of the minor boy alleged negligence on the part of the school authorities and registered a complaint in this regard. The school is being run by the Army Wives Welfare Association under the arrangements of HQ Eastern Command, (EC AWWA). The Eastern Command has assured that a thorough inquiry would be conducted into the death of the victim.

The family members of the victim said Sambuddho secured second place in a race competition that took place in the school on Wednesday. The victim's father was told to go home as the victim was supposed to return home in the school bus. Soon, after the father left the school he received a phone call from a guardian asking him to come to school. When the family members of the victim reached the school they came to know that the boy had gone missing.

Later, the victim was rescued from the hydrotherapy pool. He was taken to the SSKM Hospital where the doctors declared him brought dead.

A relative of the victim said Sambuddho usually returned home by the school bus around 12.30pm everyday.

The school provides education, care and rehab to the differently-abled children of defence personnel and civilians.

The family members of the victim raised questions on the role of the school authorities. They said the boy went unnoticed by the teachers and attendants.