A holiday outing for a six-member group turned tragic on Sunday when three of them, including a 15-year-old girl, drowned in the Muvattupuzha river, near Velloor.
The deceased were identified as Jismol, 15, Aloshy, 16, and Johnson Mathai, 56, all members of a family at Arayankavu, near here. The group had come to their native place from abroad on vacation only a few days ago and reached the riverbank near the Cherukara bridge at Velloor in the morning.
Eyewitness accounts suggested that Jismol was the first to be caught by the currents in the river. Johnson had jumped into the river to rescue her and the third person, Aloshy, drowned while attempting to save the first two.
Hearing an alarm raised by the group members, local people rushed to the spot and launched a rescue operation. They were soon joined by a team of Fire and Rescue Services personnel.
The bodies were soon fished out and shifted to the Government Medical College Hospital, Kottayam.
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