KOTTAYAM: Two of a four-member team of Plus-Two students, hailing from Kottayam, drowned in the Meenachil River at Poonjar on Tuesday. The deceased were identified as Muhammed Riyas, 17, son of Habeeb of Dinesh Bhavan, Kumaranalloor and Christopher Abraham Jacob, 17, son of Jacob P Joseph, of Kannangattumannil house, Chungam near here.
According to the police, the accident occurred around 1.15 pm at Oravakkayam, a deep pit area in Meenachil River, near Kallekkulam. The police said the students, Christopher, Riyas, Amalraj and Abin, all hailing from Kottayam, arrived in a bus in the morning to enjoy the beauty of Adivaram area at Poonjar, after searching about the place on the internet.
They gathered more information about the nature of the river and deep pit areas from the local residents before stepping into the water. However, while they were resting on a rock after taking bath, Christopher slipped into the deep pit area. Seeing this, Riyas jumped into river to save him. However, both of them caught in deep water and drowned.
Though, Abin also jumped into the water, Amal managed to rescue him, by giving a tree branch. Though the fire-and-rescue personnel from Erattupetta and local residents lifted Christopher and Riyas out of the water, their lives could not be saved. The four students had just completed Plus-Two course at Baker Vidyapeeth Senior Secondary School, Kottayam. The bodies of Riyas and Christopher are kept in the morgue of a private hospital at Erattupetta.