People take photos as elderly man drowns in pond

He was inebriated when he went for a swim: Police

In yet another instance of public insensitivity, hundreds of people silently watched a 70-year-old man’s futile attempts to stay afloat in a pond while some reached out for mobile phones to record the incident. No one reportedly came to the rescue of the labourer, who after a few minutes of struggle, drowned in a temple pond (Pushkarani) in Kolar district on Thursday.

Nanjappa, a resident of Harohalli, was visiting the pond of Sri Venugopal Temple on the busy Tekal road in the vicinity of Harohalli locality around 1 p.m. According to eyewitnesses, he stepped into the pond for a swim, but soon started struggling in the water. People said he waved his hands seeking help. Though a large number of passers-by gathered, no one ventured to help him. Fire and Emergency Services and the police retrieved the body after a long search.

“Whether it would have been possible to save the drowning man or not is a different question. However, it is inhuman to take pictures and film such tragedies,” said Harohalli resident and activist Ravi.

The police claim that Nanjappa was inebriated when he went for a swim. “There was no time for the public to make any efforts to rescue the man as he drowned as soon as he entered the pond,” said Town Sub-Inspector of Police Pradeep. A case of unnatural death was registered.