Four more die in failed attempt to save Tamil Nadu girl from drowning

CHENNAI: Multiple attempts to rescue a girl from drowning in a pond led to two of her friends, her mother and another woman getting drowned in the water body at Gummidipoondi in Tiruvallur district on Wednesday.
The deceased were identified as M Jothi, 38, R Suganthi, 40, her daughter R Ashmitha, 14, and her friends G Narmada, 13, and D Jeevitha, 14, all from Seethammal Street at Karumbukuppam village in Gummidipoondi.
According to police, the victims had gone to the Angalamman temple pond to wash clothes. Ashmitha invited her friends to join her. The girls were initially playing near the pond as the women had asked them not to step into the water, police said quoting witnesses.
Around 3.30pm, some people who came to the pond found clothes scattered near the pond. They also found the bodies of two women floating on the water.
They immediately alerted fire and rescue services. Personnel of the Sipcot fire services unit fished out the bodies and sent them to Ponneri GH for autopsy. According to firemen, Narmada could have got stuck in the pond and others may have drowned while trying to save her.
Chief minister M K Stalin, who offered his condolences, announced a relief of Rs 5 lakh each to the families of the victims. “I am deeply saddened on learning about the unfortunate incident which led to the deaths of five people. My condolences to the family members,” the CM said in a statement.