SUSPECTED ELECTROCUTION KILLS TWO FOREIGN NATIONALS AT BENGALURU FIVE-STAR HOTEL; TWO INJURED IN RESCUE ATTEMPT

October 31, 2026

BENGALURU, OCTOBER 31: Two foreign nationals, one from Germany and the other from Slovakia, died following suspected electrocution in the swimming pool of the five-star Conrad Hotel in Bengaluru on Friday evening. Two other individuals, including an American hotel guest and an Indian pool attendant, sustained injuries while attempting to rescue the victims.

The incident occurred at the swimming pool on the third floor of the hotel, located in the Halasuru (Ulsoor) area. The deceased have been identified as 57-year-old Alexander Maximilian Theiss, a German national and Lufthansa crew member, and 45-year-old Juraj Horvat, a Slovak national who reportedly worked as a project manager with IBM.

According to initial reports, both men were using the swimming pool when they allegedly suffered electric shocks. A 41-year-old American guest, Mathew Desantis, and 28-year-old pool attendant Rahul Tiwari attempted to rescue them but were also injured during the operation.

Both injured individuals were rushed to Manipal Hospital for medical treatment and are reported to be out of danger.

Bengaluru police have registered a case and initiated an investigation to establish the circumstances surrounding the deaths. Investigators are expected to examine the swimming pool's electrical installations, lighting systems and safety arrangements to determine the possible source of the suspected electrocution. The precise cause has not yet been officially established.

The hotel's swimming pool was subsequently listed as closed for maintenance from October 31 to November 30. The incident has raised questions about electrical safety standards, maintenance procedures and emergency-response arrangements at hospitality establishments.

The deaths have also drawn attention to the risks associated with electrical installations in swimming pools, where faulty equipment or inadequate protective systems can potentially expose swimmers and rescuers to life-threatening electrical hazards. The investigation will determine whether any technical malfunction or safety violation contributed to the tragedy.