House owner held for shutting the lid of water sump after girl falls into it

Bengaluru: In a tragic incident a minor girl died after she drowned in a water sump in her employer house in Rajagopalnagar.

The deceased is identified as Jyothi (12), from Yadgir. She along with her parents Buggappa and Parvathi had come to the city a few years ago.

As per the sources, Jyothi and her mother went to Ambunathan’s house where she and her mother workers. Her mother was cleaning the kitchen and premises, while Jyothi washed the front yard and drew a rangoli. She went near the water sump and reportedly fell in, but the house owner, who noticed her, did not attempt to save her and instead, closed the sump immediately.

When Parvathi didn’t see her daughter, started searching for her and went to the sump. Ambunathan diverted her attention and asked her to search elsewhere.

Parvathi later called the neighbors and forced Ambunathan to open the sump, where they found the girl’s body, informed sources.

Following the incident, the police arrested Ambunathan (46), his brother Muttuswamy (52) and Ambunathan’s wife Renukadevi (36).

Meanwhile, Mahadevappa, Jyoti’s uncle, alleged that Ambunathan had built the house recently, and had been told to sacrifice a life for prosperity, therefore though he noticed the girl falling into the sump, he didn’t try to rescue her.