PERAMBALUR: Two children drowned in a water tank at a house under construction next door near Padalur in Perambalur on Friday night, the police said. Following the incident, relatives of the deceased staged a protest in front of the District Government Headquarters Hospital on Saturday, demanding compensation from those responsible for the incident.
The deceased were Pavin (5), son of Sathyanathan, and Magilan (5), of Muthusamy. Both their parents are daily wage labourers in Padalur.
According to the police, M Senthilkumar (50) from the same neighbourhood, was constructing a house. There was an open five-foot-deep water tank on the premises. On Friday night, Pavin and Magilan were playing near the tank when no one was around. Noticing their absence, their parents searched for them and found the children’s sandals and toys near the water tank. Checking inside the tank, they found the children inside, the police said.
The children were taken to the District Government Headquarters Hospital where they were declared dead.