In a tragic incident, five young men from Chennai lost their lives while bathing in the Kollidam river in Thanjavur district. The victims, identified as Kalaivendan (20), Kishore alias Tamilarasan (20), Manoharan (19), Anto (20), and Franklin (23), were residents of Nehru Park Housing Board in Poonamallee, Chennai. The group had traveled to Velankanni for a pilgrimage and met their untimely demise while on their way back.According to reports, the group consisted of seven women and 11 men who had traveled together by van to witness the car procession at the renowned Velankanni shrine. After the procession, they proceeded to the Poondi Madha Basilica near Thirukkattupalli, arriving at the location around 7 AM.
The pilgrims purchased fish near the shrine and went to the Kollidam river to clean it before cooking their meal. Some of the men decided to take a dip in the river but tragically ventured into the deeper parts, where they were swept away by the strong currents.
Onlookers at the scene managed to rescue one person, while fire and rescue personnel from Thirukkattupalli, led by Officer Venkatesan, later recovered the bodies of Kalaivendan and Kishore alias Tamilarasan. By 3:15 PM, additional personnel and local fishermen were able to recover the body of Manoharan.
Efforts to locate the bodies of Anto and Franklin, who had celebrated his birthday just a day before, are ongoing. Thanjavur District Collector B Priyanka Pankajam visited the scene and expressed her condolences to the families of the victims. She assured that safety measures would be reinforced to prevent such incidents in the future, noting that warning signs prohibiting bathing in the Kollidam River were already in place.
Poondi Madha Basilica officials, including Archdiocese Chancellor Samson and Vice-Chancellor Ruban Anthony Raj, also visited the families of the deceased and offered their heartfelt condolences.
This tragic incident has cast a shadow over what was meant to be a peaceful pilgrimage, reminding all of the unpredictable dangers of natural water bodies and the importance of adhering to safety warnings.