VELLORE: Four persons lost their lives drowning in rain-related incidents in Vellore district since Saturday evening.
While two youth were drowned in the Palar river near Arcot on Sunday, a 14 year-old girl was washed away in the Odugathur river on Saturday late evening. In addition, a 24 year-old coolie accidentally fell into a well and drowned near Ambur. All incidents were separate and unrelated except for the common thread of water taking away their lives and the incessant rain playing a cruel role.
According to police, Sugal Ahmed (19) and his friend Raghuman Basha (19) of Pudupettai in Melvishram had gone to the check dam along Sadiq Basha river near Arcot. The duo decided to take bath in the river and drowned while doing so.Their bodies were fished out with the help of neighbours and rushed to the Government Hospital for post-mortem.
In another incident, a 14 year-old school girl, Sharmila of Kadalaikulam near Odugathur was washed away in Oduguathur River on Saturday evening. The ill-fated incident occurred when the girl was returning home with her father Purusothaman, who owns a small textile showroom in Odugathur, on a two-wheeler after attending a funeral. They stopped at the surface level bridge across Odugathur River, which had a strong water current following incessant rain, near Nemandhapuram at about 6 pm to wash the motorbike. Sharmila, who was bringing water to wash the bike, lost balance and slipped into the river and was washed away. On seeing this, the girl’s father jumped into the river to save his daughter but in vain.
Passersby managed to save Purusothaman, while his daughter was washed away due to the strong water current. The fire service personnel and Veppankuppam Station police personnel were alerted about the incident. The fire brigade from Ambur rushed to the spot and searched for the girl till 8 pm, but the search ended in vain. On Sunday morning, Veppankuppam police received information that the girl’s body was washed ashore near Gururajapalayam and recovered the body.
In another incident, the fire service personnel fished out the body of Chinnathambi, who slipped and fell into a well in Bilal Nagar near Ambur. The victim had gone out for a walk on Saturday evening and because of the rains accidentally fell into the well and drowned.