Two Chennai kids on vacation drown in Azhiyar River

COIMBATORE: Two Chennai-based school students drowned in the Azhiyar River near Ambarampalayam on Saturday evening, while bathing.The deceased were identified as M Aswanth (16), son of Muthukumar and a resident of Aadmbakkam, and G Rithiskanna (11), son of Gnanavel and a resident of Aminjikarai in Chennai. Aswanth was in class XI and Rithiskanna in class VII.

According to the Coimbatore rural police, the two belonged to a team of 29 members – family and friends – on a vacation trip from Chennai. After visiting Munnar and Kerala, they planned to return Chennai through Coimbatore. On their way, they halted on the Ambarampalayam river bank for having lunch on Saturday afternoon. At that time, four minors went for a bath and got stuck in the muddy water. After hearing their screams, a local resident, Faisal, jumped to their help and rescued two of them. However, he could not save Aswanth and Rithiskanna, added the police.

Sources said that the minors went to take bath despite the warnings issued by the local residents. A few similar deaths were reported from that place in the past as well, added sources.  

The Anamalai police registered a case under CrPC 174 and sent the bodies to government Pollachi hospital for postmortem examination. Investigation was on.