CHENNAI: A 51-year-old software engineer drowned in the sea off Thiruvanmiyur while he was rescuing his daughter who was pulled by a giant wave while practising bodyboarding on Monday morning.
The deceased was identified as Balaji, an employee of a private software firm in Tidel Park and a resident of Vannandurai in Besant Nagar.
According to police, the incident happened around 7 am at Thiruvanmiyur beach.
Police said that Balaji accompanied his daughter Revathi, 11, a Class 6 student, to bodyboard in the sea.
Quoting on the onlookers, police said that Revathi, who was training with the bodyboard, was suddenly sucked in by a giant wave. A shocked Balaji entered into the sea to save his daughter. He drowned as he was unable to swim in the rough sea.
Fishermen, who noticed them struggling in the water, rushed in and managed to rescue Revathi, but Balaji went missing. An hour later, his body was washed ashore around 9 am.
On information, Thiruvanmiyur police retrieved his body and sent it to Government Royapettah Hospital for post-mortem. A case has been registered and further investigation is on.
Police said surfers and bodyboarders usually do not practise in a rough sea, but the duo reached Thiruvanmiyur claiming that the sea was relatively calm there compared to Besant Nagar.