KANNUR: Perhaps, they wanted to make the final lap of vacation memorable by taking a dip in the river. But on Saturday, the leisure plans of six children went awry in the most horrible manner. Five of them of the same family, including a girl, drowned in the Chamthachal river near Irikkur in Payavoor panchayat.
The deceased are: Safan Salijan,7, son of Akkaparambil Salijan, Orija Salijan, 13, daughter of Salijan, Manik Binoy, 13, son of Binoy, Ayan Jose, 7, and Akhil Jose, 5, children of Anitha and Jose Kuttikattil. Anitha is the sister of Salijan and Binoy. They were students of Payyavoor Sacred Heart and St Annes schools. Though Amal,14, was also swept away in the river, he was rescued by local residents. Amal had come from Uttar Pradesh to his relative’s house in Tirur and was playing with the other kids.
Amal has been admitted to the Pariyaram Medical College and doctors said his condition is stable. Orija fell into the river when she slipped from a nearby rock, and other children jumped into the river and tried to help her. But all of them were swept away.
With this incident, eight children aged between 7 to 16 have drowned in two different rivers within a week in Kannur. On Monday, three students died when they went to swim in the Chengalai river. Amal Krishnan, 15, his brother Athul Krishnan ,13, and Hafiz, 13, were the deceased. Local residents said showers in the hilly areas have swelled the river. The heavy water flow has also created strong undercurrents, putting the lives of those who come to take bath in the river in grave danger.