Kochi: Five NCC cadets from Delhi drowned in the Periyar river in Kerala yesterday when one of them reportedly fell into the waters and the others tried to save him, officials said.
The tragedy took place in Malayatoor village in Ernakulam district, about 250km from the state capital Thiruvananthapuram.
The five were identified as Hemanta Kumar, 15, Gulvez Ahamed, Dilshad Alam, Tabish Baqri and Mohammed Zeeshan, all 18. Officials said their bodies would be flown to New Delhi in a special military aircraft from here yesterday night or today.
All five were part of a large group of NCC cadets who were in Kerala to take part in a national trekking camp that began on Sunday.
Village official Radhakrishnan said the spot where they drowned had always been considered a dangerous place and one could go there only with a pass.
“What we are told is that one student who was washing his face fell into the river and the other four jumped into the river to save their friend,” he said. “In the end all of them drowned.”
Local legislator Jose Thettayil of the Janata Dal-Secular said the five cadets had told officials of the NCC that they were going to the Periyar river to take photographs.
Ernakulam District Collector Shaik Pareeth said the families of the five had been informed about the deaths.
IANS
