Four schoolchildren who went missing from Lakshmipuram near Chromepet were found dead in Thiruneermalai Periya Eri on Sunday morning, in a suspected drowning incident that has shocked the local community.
The victims were identified as K. Devadarshan, 12; D. Yuvanesh, 10; Pooja, 13; and L. Kushi, 13. The children, who were friends and lived in the same neighbourhood, had gone out together to play around noon on Saturday but failed to return home.
Their families and relatives launched a search and circulated information about the missing children through local WhatsApp groups. Missing-person complaints were subsequently lodged with Chromepet police. Police also checked railway stations, the Kilambakkam bus terminus and CCTV footage while trying to trace them.
At around 10 a.m. on Sunday, local residents noticed four bodies floating in the lake and alerted authorities. Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Services personnel recovered the bodies, which were sent to the Tambaram District Government Hospital for post-mortem examination.
Police said preliminary findings suggest the children may have entered the lake to bathe or swim and ventured into a deeper section, where they could have become trapped in slush and mud before drowning. However, there were no eyewitnesses, and investigators said the exact sequence of events has yet to be established.
Chromepet police have registered a case and are continuing their investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
News as Reported.
