Six washed away while bathing in Kollidam; four bodies recovered

Search operations continue to locate the other two victims; they were part of a 54-member group that was on pilgrimage to Poondi Madha Basilica; pall of gloom descends on Thoothukudi village

Six persons, who entered Kollidam river near Poondi on Monday, were washed away by the water current. While four bodies have been retrieved, the search is on for the other two.

According to police sources, D. Charles, 38; D. Prithiviraj, 36; D. David, 30; T. Isaac, 19; S. Praveen Raj, 19; and S. Kermel, 19, of Siluvaipatti, a small coastal hamlet in Thoothukudi, were among the 54 persons who had come on a pilgrimage to Poondi Madha Basilica. The six ventured into the Kollidam to bathe.

Unexpectedly, all of them were swept away by the strong water current. Hearing their cries, the villagers rushed to help and informed the Thirukattupalli police and the Fire and Rescue Services, who retrieved the bodies of Charles and Prithiviraj. After over six hours of searching, the rescue service personnel found the bodies of David and Praveen Raj, police sources said.

The bodies were sent to the Thiruvaiyaru Government Hospital for an autopsy. The Fire and Rescue Services personnel continued the search operation in two boats to find the other two persons.

Collector Dinesh Ponraj Oliver along with Poondi Madha Basilica Rector Rev. Fr Samson and Vice-Rector Rev. Fr Ruban Antoniraj visited the spot and supervised the search operation and offered condolences to the families of the victims.

A pall of gloom descended on Siluvaipatti once the news of the accident made its way to the hamlet.

“Our villagers used to visit these holy places (Poondi and Velankanni) every year during holidays. As the quarterly holidays for the children commenced on October 1, 54 persons, including 20 women and 10 children, had gone on a pilgrimage to Poondi and Velankanni in a bus on Sunday,” said a relative of one of the victims.