Namakkal: Six including three children drown in Cauvery river

Namakkal:  A holiday outing turned tragic for two families, as six of the seven persons including three children, who went to cool off the summer heat by bathing in the Cauvery river at Pothanur near Paramathi-Velur in Namakkal district, drowned on Tuesday.

Police said R. Saravanan, 40, a photographer, his wife Jothimani, 35, and their twin sons, Deepesh and Darakesh, each 10-year-old, decided to go for a bath in the Cauvery near their house this morning as it was summer holidays for their two kids studying in fifth class in a private school.

Even as they were about to set out, Jothimani's friend, K Devishree, 34, and the latter's daughter Himuka,7, dropped by at their home and also decided to join Saravanan's family for the Cauvery outing. The six was joined by another youth, Rohith, 16, a nephew of Saravanan, police said.

Carrying breakfast with them, all the seven persons enjoyed it on the banks of the Cauvery before they stepped in to bathe in the river.

As there was very little water on the side of the river bank from where they got into the river, the six of them, sans Rohith, walked to the deeper part of the river on the opposite side.

Initially, Jothimani, Devishree and the three kids, Deepesh, Darakesh and Himuka attempted to take a plunge when they were suddenly dragged in by the swirling waters. Dismayed at their going down, Saravanan immediately tried to pull them out but was also drawn in and got drowned.  

Rohith seeing their disappearance into the waters screamed for help; but even as others nearby rushed to rescue them, all the six were tragically drowned. Police and fire brigade personnel who rushed to the river retrieved five bodies till late on Tuesday evening and sent them to Paramathi-Velur GH for post-mortem. Search for the other body will be taken up on Wednesday, police added.