KRISHNAGIRI: Two girls aged 13 and 17 drowned in a lake near Singarapettai, on Sunday.
The deceased were identified as B Nila Sree, a first year college student from Salem, and P Saru Nethra, a Class 8 student from Keel Mathur village.
According to police sources, Nila Sree visited her relative’s house at Keel Mathur on Friday ahead of 'Aadi Kiruthigai' festival.
On Sunday morning, Nila Sree, Saru Nethra and three other children went for a swim at a lake in the village. Later, while three of them exited the lake, two others did not return.
Passersby were alerted and Singarapettai police and fire and rescue team searched the lake. The bodies of the deceased girls were fished out and sent to Uthangarai government hospital for autopsy.
Police sources said Nila Sree had lost her mother a few years ago and Saru Nethra was an orphan who was under the care of her relatives.
Singarapettai police booked a case based Nila Sree’s relative and are investigating.