CHENNAI: Nearly 18 hours after a youngster and four children drowned in the sea near Kasimedu, bodies of the four children washed ashore one after another on Monday. The body of S Arulraj, an engineering student who drowned while trying to rescue the four children, was found on the shore a few hours after the incident on Sunday evening.
The other deceased have been identified as Arulraj’s sister Durga (14), a Class 10 student, B Vishnu (14), Class 9 student and twins J Martin (13) and J Margaret (13), both Class 6 students.
Police said that Arulraj and Durga, both natives of Ariyalur district, visited their father Sounderarajan, who works in a hotel in the city and stays on Kappal Polu street in Washermenpet in a rented house.
“Since they were planning to return to Ariyalur, Sounderarajan’s neighbours Babu and Johnson decided to take the two to the beach along with their children. Johnson’s twin children, Babu’s son Vishnu and Durga were playing in the water when they were suddenly sucked in by giant waves,” said a police officer.