Chennai: 3 school students drown in tank

Chennai: Three plus-2 students of government school in Thiruvanmiyur drowned in a temple tank in Injambakkam on Sunday afternoon where they went for a swim along with two others.

The deceased were identified as Ponbakya Raj 17 and Vishnuvardhan, 17, both residents of Thiruvanmiyur and Vignesh 17, a resident of Neelangarai. Initial investigations indicated that the three boys had been swimming for more than an hour and a half and must have got tired and could have drowned from fatigue.

According to the police, the teenagers went to the pond of Gowriamman temple in Injambakkam at around 11.30 to swim. “An hour and a half later, three of the boys drowned in the temple tank. It looks like there were swimming to and fro and also climbing on the elevated area in the centre of the pond. It appears the victims who were too tired could not reach their destination and drowned. However, two other boys alerted the public who informed the fire and rescue services at around 1.30 pm,” police said.

The Thiruvanmiyur fire rescue officers rushed to the spot and fished out all the three bodies from the pond and sent them to the Government General Hospital where doctors declared them brought dead.

The boys were pursuing their plus two in the government higher secondary school in Thiruvanmiyur.  A case has been registered with the Neelangarai police station and investigations are on.