Kadapa Dec 18 (UNI) The six bodies of the seven youths, who were drowned in the river Penna on Thursday evening at Siddavatam village in this district of Andhra Pradesh have been fished out on Friday and search is on for another body.

As many as 60 expert swimmers were pressed into service to retrieve the bodies.

Additional Superintendent of Police Dev Prasad and Divisional Fire Officer Hanumantha Rao were monitoring the rescue operation.

As many as eight youths, all were under 20 years of age, ventured into the river Penna for a joy. Seven of them drowned while one youth Venkata Shiva swam ashore safely.

All the deceased belonged to Korlagunta village near Tirupati and came here to participate in the annual ceremony of Venkata Shiva’s father.

The deceased were identified as Rajesh, Somasekhar, Jagadish, Tharun, Satish, Shanmugam, and Yashwant.

Locals told the media that the area where they ventured into the river is a desolate one and no one enters into the river there since floating if water is heavy.

A Poignant scene was witnessed at the river and at government hospitals with wailing parents and relatives of the deceased.

Officials made arrangements to shift the bodies to their native village.

Meanwhile, TDP National President and former Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu today expressed deep shock over the drowning of seven youths in the Penna river.

Mr. Naidu termed it as 'tragic' that the youths who had a bright future had to meet with such a ghastly accident.

He expressed his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families.

"The government should come to the rescue of the grief-stricken families by giving suitable compensation to them.

The bodies of the youth should be taken out from the river and and they be handed over to their relatives as early as possible", he said.

UNI DP CS 1735