Showcause notice issued to Hotel Savera

A showcause notice seeking an explanation from Hotel Savera on why its Public Resort Licence should not be cancelled following violations has been issued by the police.

A top ranking police officer said that the case of the stage collapse at the hotel on New Year eve, leading to the death of three youths, has been transferred to the Central Crime Branch for investigation. Several people who were dancing on the wooden stage fell into a swimming pool beneath it.

The negligence on the part of the officers at the Royapettah police station would also come under scanner, a senior officer attached to the CCB police said. Clear instructions were given to all station house officers and officers in the respective jurisdiction that they should ensure that no licensee organised New Year eve celebrations near a swimming pool or in places other than the authorised area.

Commissioner of Police Nanchil G. Kumaran had told senior officers on December 29 that any violation would be sternly dealt with.

Within a few hours of the incident at the hotel, Sumith Agnihothri (24), a software professional, died, while Anand (21) and Ramya (22), engineering students, died in a private hospital on Tuesday.

The post-mortem report of Sumith Agnihothri said that he had died due to drowning and had suffered external injuries in the nostril and other parts of the body.