In a tragic mishap, five teenagers from Dindigul drowned in Kamarajar dam near Athur in Tamil Nadu on Sunday. A group of six teenagers had gone to the dam for a bath when the accident happened.  According to reports, the six teenagers from Bharathipuram had gone to the Kamarajar Dam around 11 am on Sunday, located around 15 km from Dindigul. While one of them went to buy bottles of drinking water, the others stepped into the dam to take a bath.

According to the police, who quoted the teen who had gone to buy water, none of the five teens knew how to swim. The deceased have been identified as Selvabarani (19), Loganathan (19), Nagaraj (19), Karthigai Prabakaran (19) and Bharath (16). While Selvabarani, Loganathan and Nagaraj were pursuing BCom, Karthigai Prabakaran was working in an electrical store and Bharath was studying in a government-aided school in Dindigul.

Fire and Rescue services personnel retrieved their bodies after half an hour of search operation and sent them all to a government hospital for autopsy. The Sembatti police have registered a case and are probing the incident.

In November 2020, five youngsters drowned in the sea at Kasimedu. The group had come to the beach with their parents and had ventured into the sea for a dip. However, they were pulled in by the waves. One of the victims jumped in after seeing his friends being pulled in by the waves, but he was also taken by the current and lost his life.

In May 2020, four persons including three children drowned in a lake in Kancheepuram district. The children had accompanied two women to the lake for a bath. However, one of the women entered the water and was dragged in by a current. As the children jumped in to save her, they were also pulled in.