Nagpur: Mystery deepened in the case of drowning of an engineer at the NIT swimming pool as the police investigation has revealed that the CCTV footage of the swimming pool was found missing for 18 hours between 3 am and 9 pm on April 23. There is speculation that the footage was deleted to prevent the truth behind the engineer’s death from being revealed.
The deceased, identified as Kunal Kishore Salpekar (37), a resident of Abhyankar Nagar, was an engineer working in the marketing department of L&T Company. On April 23, he came for a swim at the NIT pool in the evening and drowned around 8.30 pm. In response, the Bajaj Nagar Police registered a case of accidental death and initiated an investigation.
A significant development in the investigation is the discovery of missing CCTV footage from the swimming pool’s surveillance system. A span of 18 hours of footage, crucial to understanding the events leading to Kunal’s death, was found to be absent between 3 am and 9 pm on April 23. This has raised suspicions of intentional deletion to conceal facts.
The management of the swimming pool attributed the absence of footage to a purported technical glitch. However, the veracity of this claim is under scrutiny. The Cyber Cell and Forensic Laboratory have been engaged to determine whether the footage was intentionally deleted or if other factors contributed to its absence.
Kunal’s family, upon receiving news of his demise, arrived at the pool to find his body on the ground. The sight of Kunal’s lifeless form caused his wife, Vinaya, to faint. Concerns have been raised regarding the delay in admitting Kunal to the hospital and the absence of a swimming coach during the incident.
The Salpekar family and Kunal’s acquaintances have lodged a complaint against the negligent contractor and his workers, demanding strict action. There is a growing demand to escalate the case to culpable homicide under Section 304 of the Indian Penal Code if negligence on the part of the management is established.
The police are awaiting the post-mortem report, with particular interest in forensic analysis of the preserved viscera. This examination may yield crucial insights into the circumstances surrounding Kunal’s death.
Relatives of the deceased plan to meet with Commissioner of Police Dr. Ravinder Singal to stress for a thorough investigation and accountability for those responsible. Their demands include stringent action against the alleged culprits and comprehensive measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The investigation into the drowning incident at the NIT swimming pool has taken a complex turn with the discovery of missing CCTV footage. Allegations of negligence and demands for justice underscore the gravity of the situation. The involvement of forensic experts and ongoing police inquiries aim to unravel the truth behind Kunal Salpekar’s untimely demise.
