A festive celebration turned into a heartbreaking tragedy in Tiruvannamalai district on Friday. A man and his two young sons lost their lives by drowning in a village lake during Mattu Pongal festivities.
Family's Festive Return Ends in Disaster
Thangaraj, a 36-year-old office assistant working for a private company in Chennai, had traveled back to his native village of Nayanathangal with his family. He was accompanied by his wife, T Divyabharathi, and their two sons, seven-year-old T Rajesh and five-year-old T Lathish. The family had returned to participate in the traditional Pongal celebrations.
Fatal Fishing Trip on Mattu Pongal
On Friday, which marked Mattu Pongal, Thangaraj decided to take his two boys to the local lake for a fishing activity. This is a common practice during the festival. However, when the trio did not return home after several hours had passed, his wife grew deeply concerned.
Divyabharathi immediately alerted relatives, friends, and neighbors in the village. A search party quickly formed to look for the missing father and his children.
Discovery of Footwear Leads to Grim Find
The search took a tragic turn when villagers discovered the footwear belonging to Thangaraj and his two sons on the bank of the lake. This discovery prompted them to search the water body itself.
Their worst fears were confirmed when they found the bodies of all three family members in the lake. A police team from the Moranam station arrived at the scene to conduct the recovery operation.
Official Response and Investigation
The recovery was carried out in the presence of Vembakkam tahsildar Tamilmani. The bodies were then sent to the Cheyyar government hospital for postmortem examinations to determine the exact cause of death.
Initial police inquiries into the incident have revealed a likely sequence of events. It appears that Thangaraj slipped into the muddy area of the lake while fishing. He became trapped in the mud. His two young sons, seeing their father in distress, attempted to rescue him. Tragically, all three individuals drowned in the attempt.
Witness Accounts and Community Grief
Some witnesses in the village reported seeing the children playing near the water's edge earlier in the day. The entire community of Nayanathangal village in Vembakkam taluk near Cheyyar is now in mourning.
This devastating incident has cast a shadow over the Pongal festivities in the region. It serves as a stark and grim reminder of the dangers associated with water bodies, especially during festival times when families gather near them.
Calls for Improved Safety Measures
In the aftermath of the tragedy, local residents are voicing strong concerns about water safety. There are growing calls from the community for authorities to install proper warning signs around the lake. Many believe such preventive measures could help avert similar tragedies in the future.
The loss of Thangaraj and his two sons has left a deep wound in the village. It underscores the critical need for heightened awareness and safety protocols around all water bodies, particularly during periods of celebration and increased activity.
