Chennai Floods: He took sister, mom to safety; died when went to check on dad

CHENNAI: A 27-year-old youth, who took his mother and sister to safety, died lost his life in the flood when he went back home on Sunday night to bring his father to a relief camp. His body was found in bushes near Pallikaranai Lake on Thursday.

Arun of Quad-e-Milath Nagar in Pallikaranai and was working in a food delivery firm. During the rain, their area went under 10 ft deep water. As he knows swimming, Arun managed to take his mother Chitra, and sister Ambika safely to the flood relief camp set up in a community hall in Pallikaranai.

However, his father Murugan, who knows swimming, stayed on the first floor of the house in the flooded area to take care of the belongings. Worried about his safety, Arun went to check on his father on Sunday night, hoping to convince him to shift to the safety of the relief camp. He did not return.

There was no word from him, but his mother and sister thought Arun might have gone to his friend’s house near Pallikaranai.

On Wednesday, as the situation in the area remained dire, a rescue team took Murugan to the community hall. But Arun was still missing.

The family’s hopes and prayers were dashed when some people a body in the bushes near the Pallikaranai Lake on Thursday morning. The person was identified as Arun.

After receiving the alert about this, the local police retrieved the body and sent it to the Chromepet GH for post-mortem examination.