Conrad Bengaluru, USA News: Two men have died following a suspected electrocution in the swimming pool of a luxury hotel in India, prompting police to open a negligence investigation against the establishment’s management. Lufthansa crew member Alexander Maximilian Theiss, 57, and IBM project manager Juraj Horvat, 45, are believed to have been fatally shocked while swimming in the third-floor pool at the Conrad Bengaluru. The incident took place at the five-star property operated by Hilton Worldwide on Friday evening.
Mr. Theiss, a German national, had checked into the hotel on October 20. Mr. Horvat, a Slovakian citizen, had arrived with his family on the day of the incident for a holiday in India. Both men were exposed to a sudden electrical current in the water between approximately 5:15 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. local time, according to police.
Two others were hurt during efforts to pull the stricken men from the water. Mathew Desantis, a 41-year-old American tourist staying at the hotel, and Rahul Tiwari, 28, who worked as a pool attendant and lifeguard at the Conrad, both rushed to help after seeing the pair struggling. Bengaluru’s police commissioner, Seemant Kumar Singh, stated that Mr. Theiss felt an electric shock immediately upon entering the pool, and that Mr. Horvat then jumped in to try to save him, followed by Mr. Desantis and Mr. Tiwari.
All four were taken to Manipal Hospital on Old Airport Road at around 5:10 p.m. Mr. Theiss was pronounced dead on arrival, whilst Mr. Horvat died after doctors attempted resuscitation. Mr. Desantis, who suffered a headache and was in a state of shock, and Mr. Tiwari were both reported stable and expected to be discharged soon.
Mr. Horvat’s wife, Silvia Hotuatova, 47, lodged a complaint calling for a thorough inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the deaths and demanded legal action against those responsible. Officers then registered a case against the hotel management under Section 106 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which covers causing death through negligence. Mr. Theiss’s wife, Silvia Ottawa, also submitted a police complaint alleging both men were electrocuted as they attempted to exit the pool and subsequently drowned.
Commissioner Singh said technical specialists and Scene of Crime Officers sealed off and examined the pool area. He confirmed that investigators were awaiting forensic laboratory results, post-mortem findings and expert reports before establishing the precise cause. Investigators are examining several potential causes, with preliminary inspections focusing on the pool’s underwater lighting system as a possible source of the electrical fault. A joint technical inquiry is also looking at the pool’s pump and earthing lines.
The Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited (Bescom) denied any fault on its part, but pointed to earthing issues as a likely factor behind the deaths. Electrical contractors noted that defective water recycling pumps or motors could equally produce such incidents, stressing the importance of routine maintenance and checks.
The hotel’s swimming pool has been shut and listed on its website as closed for maintenance from October 31 to November 30. Conrad Bengaluru expressed its sorrow over what it described as a tragic event. A spokesman said in a statement that they were deeply saddened by the tragic incident which occurred at Conrad Bengaluru and offered deepest condolences to all impacted, adding that management was providing full support and assistance to the inquiry.
