KOCHI: The death toll in the Periyar Valley Canal drowning incident involving nursing students at Ashamannoor near Perumbavoor has risen to three after Emil Sunil, belonging to Manarcad in Kottayam district, died while under treatment at a private hospital in Kothamangalam on Wednesday.
The incident occurred on Tuesday morning when the trio, students of the KMP Nursing Institute in Ashamannoor, entered the canal. According to Kuruppampady Police, the canal had a water level of around 10 feet as shutters had been opened.
Ajmal Habeeb of Malappuram, Ajsal of Kollam, and Emil were caught in the strong current soon after entering the canal and were swept away.
Local residents and fire force personnel launched rescue operations, during which Emil was pulled out and rushed to the hospital while the bodies of the other two were later recovered in a joint operation by the fire and rescue teams from Perumbavoor and Kothamangalam, including a scuba unit.
“The youths had gone there for sightseeing and initially entered the water to wash their feet. One of them moved further ahead and slipped. Another attempted to rescue him but was also caught in the current, leading to the tragedy,” the officer said.
Meanwhile, the bodies of Ajmal and Ajsal were brought to the college campus on Wednesday for public homage.