In a scathing indictment of the BJP’s Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) government, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has held the civic body directly responsible for the tragic death of a six-year-old child who drowned at an MCD-run community centre’s swimming pool in Pitampura. The Leader of Opposition (LoP) in MCD, Ankush Narang, pointed out that the death was a result of gross negligence and administrative failure.
He stated that no lifeguard was present at the time of the incident, and that the facility lacked both safety equipment and CCTV surveillance. “By the time a lifeguard was called and the child was pulled out, it was too late,” he said. Ankush Narang held the silence of MCD Mayor Raja Iqbal Singh and CM Rekha Gupta as “shameful” and demanded accountability: “Who is responsible for the death of an innocent child?”
Addressing a press conference at the party headquarters, MCD LoP Ankush Narang exposed shocking lapses in safety and oversight by MCD authorities and demanded strict accountability from both CM Rekha Gupta and Mayor Raja Iqbal Singh. He informed the media that on Friday, Daksh Rathi, a Delhi resident, tragically drowned while swimming with two other children at the Pitampura MCD Community Centre’s swimming pool. When the other children noticed Daksh was missing, they raised an alarm. Only then did a lifeguard arrive, and even then, it took him three to four minutes to retrieve the unconscious child from the pool. He was rushed to a hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival. The doctors stated that Daksh had been submerged for three to four minutes, which led to his death.
The AAP leader highlighted that the child’s family said Daksh was a skilled swimmer who had also participated in a summer camp swimming session last year and performed well. The entire incident occurred at an MCD swimming pool operated under a private concession agreement. Shockingly, during the initial inquiry, it was found that there were no safety measures or CCTV cameras installed at the site at the time of the incident. Moreover, no lifeguard was available immediately when the child went underwater, and even the rescue effort took too long.
“This tragedy raises several serious questions about the functioning of MCD,” said Ankush Narang. “Despite charging hefty fees, MCD handed over the swimming pool to a private concessionaire without ensuring even the basic safety parameters. No CCTV, no timely lifeguard response, no emergency preparedness — these are not minor lapses. These are fatal failures.”
Ankush Narang pointed out the glaring negligence and questioned whether MCD had ever verified the safety protocols at the swimming pool. “Was the private concessionaire complying with the required safety parameters? Did MCD ever inspect whether safety measures were in place? Do trained and competent lifeguards exist at these pools who can rescue someone within seconds during an emergency?” he asked.
He further lashed out at the BJP, questioning why no response had come so far from either Mayor Raja Iqbal Singh or Chief Minister Rekha Gupta. “This happened in the CM’s own constituency of Pitampura, under the tenure of the BJP’s Mayor. Has the Mayor ever reviewed the safety standards of these pools? Or are the pools just handed over for commissions and free access for their own people?”
Ankush Narang questioned whether MCD verifies if the concessionaires are meeting safety norms, or whether it is simply a matter of political favoritism and rent-seeking. “Has any inspection ever been done to assess whether these lifeguards are even capable of handling an emergency? Delhi’s citizens — especially its children — deserve answers.”
Calling out the silence of the BJP leadership, Narang demanded to know what action CM Rekha Gupta had taken against swimming pools that violated safety norms. “This tragedy should never have occurred in the first place. But it has happened under their watch. What action has been initiated against the concessionaire responsible? What steps have been taken to prevent such incidents in future? Has MCD ensured installation of CCTV cameras, adherence to safety protocols, and deployment of adequately trained lifeguards across its facilities?”
Ankush Narang concluded by saying that the people of Delhi are outraged, and they want accountability — not excuses. “The CM and Mayor must break their silence and tell Delhi what they have done to safeguard the lives of its children.”
