THRISSUR: Four members of a family, including two children, drowned at the Painkulam Kadavu of the Bharathapuzha (Nila) in Cheruthuruthy on Thursday evening while they were out on a leisure trip.
The police said the incident took place around 6pm. Cheruthuruthy native Kabeer, 47, who owns the Zara Bakery in the locality, went to Painkulam Kadavu with his family – wife Shahina, 35, daughter Zara, 10, and nephew Fuwad Sanin, 12, to spend the evening there.
According to eyewitnesses, the two children were playing on the steps of Painkulam Kadavu when they suddenly fell into the river. Panicked, Kabeer and Shahina jumped into the river to rescue them but were swept away by strong currents.
Residents in the area soon alerted the Shoranur fire station and rushed to the spot. The Cheruthuruthy police also reached the place shortly after.
Shahina, who was the first to be rescued, died on the way to the hospital. The bodies of Kabeer and Sanin were found an hour later, while the body of Zara was found at night after an extensive search jointly undertaken by the police and Shoranur fire station personnel with the assistance of a team from the Wadakkanchery fire station.
“Though the local people visit Painkulam Kadavu frequently, they do not step into the water as there can be strong undercurrents at some points. Rituals related to cremation used to take place on the banks here,” said Chandran, a resident.