Two Europeans allegedly died of electrocution on Friday while swimming in the pool of a five-star hotel in Bengaluru. Two others, including an American tourist and a pool worker, were also injured in the process of rescuing them.
The deceased were identified as 59-year-old Alexander Maximilian Theiss, a German national and a crew member of the Lufthansa airline. The other was 45-year-old Juraj Horvàtha, a Slovak national who worked as a project manager with IBM. They have been staying at the Conrad Hotel in Halasuru for the past few days.
According to local media reports, the incident took place around 6:30pm on the third floor of the hotel. The two men were swimming in the pool when a sudden electrical surge allegedly caused severe shocks.
Subsequently, an American tourist and a hotel lifeguard attempted to rescue them. They were identified as 41-year-old Mathew Desantis and 28-year-old Rahul Tiwari, respectively. Both of them sustained injuries while trying to save the tourists. They are currently undergoing treatment at a private hospital.
The bodies of the two tourists who died were sent to Manipal Hospital for post-mortem.
As soon as the incident was reported, the Halasurur police visited the area and conducted an investigation. The police checked the electrical connections and systems around the pool. However, the exact circumstances that led to the suspected electrocution have not been established.
The deceased Alexander’s wife reportedly filed a complaint at the police station, alleging that negligence and lack of proper management at the hotel were the direct cause of the incident. Police have registered a case against the hotel owner and management staff under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
