KOZHIKODE: Six children including four girls were drowned when a country-made boat capsized in Naranipuzha river at Changarakulam in Malappuram district Tuesday evening.
The deceased have been identified as Prasanna (12), Adidev (4), Vaishna (15), Pooja (14), Jeneesha (8) and Abhilash. An elderly person who accompanied the students and two children have been rescued and taken to a hospital in Thrissur, while the bodies of the deceased have been shifted to a private hospital at Changarakulam. All of them are reportedly from the same family.
According to the sources, the accident occurred around 5 pm when eight students which included five boys and three girls were boating in the river, celebrating their Christmas holidays.
Police and fire service personnel carried out search and rescue operations. However, the reason for the accident is yet to be confirmed.