CUDDALORE/KALLAKURICHI: The search for a youth who went missing after drowning while bathing in the Thenpennai River near Panruti entered its third day on Sunday.
According to police, Velan (19), a resident of Kattamuthupalayam in Panruti taluk, had gone to bathe in the Thenpennai River at Kandarakkottai with his friends on Friday. Police said, “He allegedly climbed onto the Veeranam drinking water pipeline bridge across the river and jumped into the water. He did not surface and went missing.”
Following the incident, police and Fire and Rescue Service personnel launched a search operation. On Sunday, about 150 personnel participated in the operation, including 60 members from the National and State Disaster Response Forces. Officials said the search continued until evening, but the youth’s body had not been found.
Body of student recovered in Kallakurichi
In a separate incident, the body of a 15-year-old student who was swept away in the Thenpennai River was recovered on Sunday.
Police said S Ekantharajan, alias Ethiraj, a Class 10 student from Thiruvennainallur, had gone to bathe in the river near the Thiruvarangam temple close to Manalurpettai with his friends when he was swept away by the current.
After a search by the Fire and Rescue Service personnel, his body was recovered on Sunday.
Both the Collectors of Kallakurichi and Cuddalore districts had issued warnings about flooding and the rise in the water level of the Thenpennai River after surplus water was released from the Sathanur Dam following rainfall in the catchment area. Ignoring the warnings, people continued to bathe and wash clothes in the river, leading to three deaths over the past three days in the two districts.