Chennai group takes ‘banned’ boat ride in Pulicat; 2 drowned

CHENNAI: Two men from Chennai, working at private companies in Chennai drowned in the sea off Pulicat lake in neighbouring Tiruvallur district on Monday.

Police sources said that a group of friends from the city had gone to Pulicat and had hired a boat to go through the estuary.

A police officer with Thiruppalaivanam police station said that there is no permission for boating and the group had made the trip illegally. Boating in the lake was banned after 22 people died while taking a ride in December 2011. The group had hired a boat to go upto the estuary.

While they were swimming, three persons – Madhan Kumar (25), Arun Kumar (24) and Ebenezer screamed for help. Fishermen from the locality rushed to their help and managed to secure Ebenezer and Madhan Kumar. Madhan died without responding to treatment while Ebenezer is undergoing treatment at the Government Stanley Hospital. Arun Kumar’s body washed ashore on Tuesday, police said.

Investigations revealed that Arun Kumar is a Mechanical engineering graduate and Madhan Kumar, a B.Com graduate. They were working at private firms in the city. Thiruppalaivanam police have registered a case and are investigating.