The investigation into the tragic death of a 10-year-old girl at a luxurious apartment complex on Varthur-Gunjur Road in late December 2023 has taken a significant turn, with the police apprehending seven individuals, including the president of the residents' association and a property management executive, on February 9.
According to DCP Shivakumar Gunare of Whitefield, the arrests were made following statements provided by eyewitnesses, particularly the boys who were playing with the victim, Manya Damerla, at the time of the incident. Gunare revealed that several eyewitnesses indicated the possibility of electrocution, with the boys themselves reporting experiencing mild shocks. Taking into account previous incidents of electric shocks involving other residents and considering the eyewitness testimonies, the suspects were taken into custody.
Bengaluru: Girl Found Dead In Swimming Pool: Here's What We Know
On December 28, the girl was found dead in the swimming pool of the Prestige Lakeside Habitat Society of Vanthur-Gunjur in the city's tech corridor under mysterious circumstances around 8 in the evening.
The victim is identified as Manasa, a 4th standard student studying in a private school who along with her family lived on the 17th tower of the complex of the high society in Bengaluru.
As per the complaint filed by the victim's father, Rajesh, a private company employee, his conjecture of the cause of death of his daughter's death could be drowning after she must have accidentally fallen into the pool around 7:30 pm as he said he got to know about the accident around 8 pm.
Rajesh informed Manasa was playing with a few other children who too were the residents of the society at the time of the incident. While in a CCTV footage, Manasa could be seen in a playful demeanour moments before her death in a lift going to play near the pool area.
The little girl was rushed to the hospital where she was declared brought-dead.
Many residents claimed that the cause of death of the girl could have been the girl accidentally falling into the pool and coming in contact with the live wire dangling near the pool from a pole which may have resulted in either electrocution or drowning.
Others alleged that the little girl went to pick up the ball that fell inside the pool but got electrocuted due to the lights inside the pool leaking electric currents and claimed to have complained several times earlier in past about the same to the society's management.
The cops who rushed to the site of the accident and the hospital said there were no signs of burn on the body of the deceased, however, they are not ruling out the allegations made by the residents of neglect in maintenance in the society and are waiting for the post-mortem reports to know the exact cause of death to probe further into the accident.
Meanwhile, the society members flashed an open protest after the death of Manasa against the association members of the society asking for justice for the deceased victim while the society's manager has gone missing. Manasa's father also participated in the protest.
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