6-year-old Kerala boy drowns in Qatar swimming pool

Doha - 10 Dec 2012: A six-year-old Indian boy drowned in a swimming pool at a recently built villa compound in Abu Hamour on Friday. The victim, identified as Thomas Nettickaden, was the son of Anshu Thomas Nettickaden, who is the sales manager at the Doha office of a UAE-based company, located in Barwa Village, Wakra. Thomas was a Class 1 student at MES Indian School. He was reportedly cycling near the swimming pool of the compound where his family stayed, sources said. At the time of the accident, no one else was in the pool, they said. One of his family friends said the boy knew swimming and used to frequent the pool for kids in the same compound. His parents were at home at the time of the accident, he said. No further information is available on how the tragedy occurred. The victim’s family came to Qatar a little more than a year ago after his father Anshu shifted to Doha. Anshu also had an earlier stint in the country between 2004 and 2006, said a close friend of the family. His wife Veena is employed with Maersk. Besides his parents, Thomas leaves behind a three-year-old sister. The victim’s family hails from Chalakudy in Kerala’s Thrissur district. Arrangements are being made to fly the body home. On hearing about the tragic death of the boy, a large number of the community members, including teachers of MES Indian School, visited his house.