HYDERABAD: A 27-year-old software employee died after he was found in a swimming pool at a farmhouse during a team outing in Choutuppal on Saturday night, with police probing whether it was an accidental drowning. According to Choutuppal Inspector N Manmadha Rao, the deceased, Gandla Ramu, had gone to the farmhouse along with around 20 colleagues and their team leader for a party, police said. During the gathering, the group consumed liquor, and Ramu allegedly got into an argument with one of the employees. A few hours later, around 1 am, Ramu was found lying in the swimming pool. His colleagues rushed to his aid and attempted CPR, but he could not be saved. Police said the postmortem examination would determine the exact cause of death. “His parents, in their complaint, have alleged that he was hit with a stick following an altercation. We have registered a murder case accordingly. There were 20 people at the party, and all were drunk,” said Inspector G Manmadha Kumar. A case was registered after the victim’s father, G Anjaiah, lodged a complaint with the police on Sunday morning. Investigators are questioning those who attended the outing and trying to establish the sequence of events before Ramu entered the pool. As part of the probe, officials will also seek details from the Excise Department regarding the consumption of liquor at the farmhouse.
