CHENNAI: A 51-year-old man from Pulianthope allegedly drowned in front of his sons while clearing garbage clogging a canal near his house on Thursday. The deceased was identified as S Muthu (51), a resident of Vasuki Nagar in Pulianthope. He was a day labourer. Police said Muthu was staying with his wife Pachaiyammal (47) and his three sons Balaji, Saravanan and Saranraj.
“On Thursday afternoon, Muthu noticed a huge pile of plastic waste and other garbage clogging a small canal and the water flowing onto the roadside. The passageway is an artery of the Buckingham canal,” said an investigation officer.
Muthu entered the canal to clear the garbage while his sons Balaji and Saravanan were waiting on the side to collect the garbage. Police said as Muthu cleared some of the garbage, the water started gushing through and swept him away. He disappeared right in front of his sons,” said the police officer.
After Balaji informed fire personnel, a team from North Chennai division rushed to the spot and initiated rescue operations but Muthu couldn’t be traced. Pulianthope police registered a case and while search operations resumed on Friday morning, the body of Muthu washed ashore near VOC Nagar. His body was sent to the Kilpauk Medical College and hospital for autopsy.