Tragedy struck Vedanthapuram village near Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh on Friday evening when four boys were swept away by the surging currents of the Swarnamukhi river while swimming.
A group of seven students - Prakash, Chinna, Teja, Balu, Vishnu, Muniratnam, and Krishna - entered the river for a swim at approximately 4 pm.
Due to heavy rain, the river was in spate, and the strong current quickly overwhelmed them.
Prakash, Chinna, Teja, and Balu were tragically swept away, while the other three boys, Vishnu, Muniratnam, and Krishna, managed to escape the deadly current and reach safety with the help of locals.
Following intensive search operations, the bodies of two of the victims have been recovered, with the search underway for two more.
Upon receiving the information, the Tirupati Rural police immediately rushed to the scene.
A team from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) launched a comprehensive search operation.
Tirupati district police chief L Subbarayudu, who visited the spot late in the evening, confirmed that drones were deployed to assist in the intensive aerial search.
"The news that four children went missing in the Swarnamukhi River near Vedanthapuram in Tirupati Rural Mandal has caused widespread shock. With the help of drones, the bodies of two children have been recovered, while the search continues for the other two. I extend my heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased," State Home Minister Anitha said.
Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan has expressed distress over the accident.
"The accident that occurred in the Swarnamukhi River near Vedanthapuram in Tirupati district is deeply distressing," he said.
He added that efforts are on to trace the missing individuals.
Both the Superintendent of Police, Subbarayudu, and the state home minister issued strong appeals to the public to exercise extreme caution during the current rainy season.
