A tragic drowning at a resort in Olpad taluka of Surat district has raised serious concerns after CCTV footage showed a 22-year-old man struggling for nearly two minutes in a swimming pool while others nearby continued swimming, unaware of his distress.
The incident took place on March 23 at Akshay Resort & Swimming Pool near Talad village, where over 25 people were present around the pool. The victim, Purushottam Ashokbhai Chaudhary from Surat’s Pandesara area, had entered the pool at around 2:50 pm.
Soon after diving in, he began to struggle in the water. CCTV footage shows him repeatedly signalling for help and trying to stay afloat for nearly two minutes. Despite several people being close by, no one appeared to notice his distress or step in to assist.
After he lost consciousness, he was pulled out of the pool and rushed to Olpad Government Hospital in a 108 ambulance. However, doctors declared him dead on arrival.
The footage, which surfaced on March 29, captures the entire sequence, showing the youth gasping for air while others nearby continued swimming, seemingly unaware.
The incident has sparked questions over safety arrangements and supervision at the resort, as well as the need for greater public awareness in recognising signs of drowning.