THANJAVUR: Five pilgrims from Chennai who arrived to participate in the solemn car procession of the Poondi Madha Basilica in Thanjavur district were washed away in the Kollidam while taking bath on Sunday. The bodies of three of them were retrieved. The search is on for the other two.
Sources say a group of 17 people from Chennai went on a pilgrimage in a van to Velankanni and the Poondi Madha Basilica. After visiting the church in Velankanni, the group reached Poondi in Thanjavur district on Sunday morning to participate in the car procession at the basilica scheduled for the evening.
Tragedy struck the group as some of them decided to take a bath, around noon, prior to visiting the basilica. While taking bath in the river passing near the basilica, five men waded towards a deep part and were soon washed away.
Those bathing near the riverbank raised an alarm. A few local fishermen and the Fire and Rescue Services personnel from Tirukkattupalli and Tiruvaiyaru rushed to the spot and commenced a search.
The bodies of S Kalaivendhan (20), Z Tamilarasan alias Kishore (20) and V Manoharan (20) were fished out. The search was on for siblings C Franklin (23) and C Anto (20) of Nehru Park Housing Board, Egmore, Chennai through the evening of Sunday.