Chennai: Two class 10 students of a private school in Velachery drowned in the sea off Marina beach on Monday morning. The teenagers - V. Deepak of Saidapet and S. Kishore Kumar of Velachery - had come with a group of friends for football training on the beach around 7 am. The training went on till 9 am after which a few of them decided to go frolicking in the water.
Police said that the duo went into the waters seeing one of their friends, Santosh Kumar being dragged into the sea. Santosh Kumar was brought ashore with the help of fishermen. However, Deepak and Kishore Kumar were engulfed by the giant waves.
Local fishermen made futile attempts to retrieve the boys. A few minutes later, the bodies washed ashore after which they were moved to the Government Royapettah Hospital for autopsy.
Marina police have registered a case and are investigating. Police said that despite warning boards and policemen of the mounted squad guarding the shore, incidents of drowning do not seem to stop. “Even recently, we put up new warning boards at places along the shore. It doesn’t seem to deter them,” a police officer said.
At least 30 persons drowned in the sea off Marina beach in 2016 and this year, it has already reached half that number, police said.
