After almost dozen deaths from swimming-related accidents in Rawal Lake during the last month, the city police have initiated much-needed action against youngsters risking their lives by diving into the lake from prohibited areas.
On Saturday and Sunday, the Secretariat police rounded up more than 50 youngsters who flocked to the lake for a swim to beat the summer heat.
According to the police, barely five per cent of people who come for a dip actually know how to swim and most drowning incidents occur when unskilled swimmers move into deep waters. “This was the case in almost all swimming related deaths here,” said the investigation officer from the Secretariat police.
Police said the authorities responsible for security at the dam and the security guards deployed at different points at the lake were also warned of legal consequences if anyone drowns in their respective areas in the future.
They were also asked to place warning signs in areas where swimming is prohibited. The police said the people who were rounded up youth were not booked with any crime, and were released after receiving “stern warnings” from the police.
Police personnel were assigned special duties by the sub-divisional police officer of the area after taking notice of repeated incidents of deaths from drowning in Rawal Lake.
The police warned the youngsters that they will be sent to jail if they are caught trying to take a dive in the lake again.
Published in The Express Tribune, 25th, 2012.
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