CUDDALORE: Two women and five girls of a family drowned after getting stuck in the mud near the Kedilam Check Dam in the Cuddalore district on Sunday afternoon. Their relatives complained the pit they died in had been formed by the removal of sand some years ago and had been left open, allowing water to stagnate.
M Navaneetham (20), of A Kuchipalayam village, and her sister-in-law of one month G Priya (19) had decided to take a dip in the pit near the check dam, and their relatives — sisters R Priyadarshini (13) and R Kaviya (11) — who had come from Kurinjipadi for the holidays, joined them, said a source from the Nellikuppam police station.
“However, they got stuck in the mud. They drowned trying to rescue one another. Three other girls — M Sumatha (16) A Monika (16) and A Sangavi (15) — who were playing in the water nearby, also tried to rescue them but drowned,” the source added.
On being informed by witnesses, youngsters came from the village and brought the girls out in an unconscious condition. Cops arrived and sent the victims to the government hospital in Cuddalore by ambulance, but they were declared dead on arrival. Meanwhile, fire and rescue services personnel checked whether anyone else was stuck in the mud underwater.
‘Mining of sand for check dam created huge pit’
At the hospital, heart-rending scenes were witnessed as the kin of the deceased broke down on seeing the seven bodies. Navaneetham’s father, Mohan, said, “I lost my daughter, daughter-in-law, and five other relatives. The water body they drowned in was formed when sand was taken two years back to construct the check dam, and a huge pit was formed. It wasn’t covered, and water stagnated there.”
A police source said the recent rains had increased the water level, and unaware of the depth, people had been playing in the water despite warnings from the police. Agriculture Minister MRK Paneerselvam visited the hospital and paid homage to the victims.
“I came based on orders from Chief Minister MK Stalin,” he said, adding that an inquiry will be conducted into the incident. He also gave Rs 25,000 as compensation to the kin of each of the deceased from his personal funds and requested the public not to play in waterbodies. Priya had married Navaneetham’s brother M Gunal a month ago, the police said, adding that the other victims were schoolgirls. Police have registered a case and sent the bodies for a post-mortem examination.
CM orders Rs 5 lakh ex-gratia each, urges caution
CM Stalin ordered Rs 5 lakh to be provided as solatium to the kin of each victim. In a press statement, he said officials should raise awareness of the dangers in the water bodies, and erect warning signs