Five drown in irrigation tank in Tiruvannamalai district

A young staff nurse and four young girls died by drowning in an irrigation tank at Samuthiram village in Tiruvannamalai on Monday, November 9, 2026.

What Happened

Those who died were identified as 24-year-old staff nurse Thenmozhi, along with four girls named Vijayalakshmi, Alli, Poomika, and Valliammal. The four girls were inmates at a government-recognised children's home for girls that has operated in the area for over ten years. Valliammal was 16 years old and from Kilpennathur village, while 14-year-old Vijayalakshmi, 14-year-old Alli, and 13-year-old Poomika were sisters from Karapattu village near Chengam. Police stated that none of them knew how to swim. On Monday afternoon, Thenmozhi went to the irrigation tank on Perumbakkam Main Road along with roughly 13 girls to bathe. Poomika, her siblings, and Valliammal entered the water and slipped into a deeper part of the tank. Thenmozhi attempted to rescue the children but also drowned in the process. Local residents heard the cries of the remaining girls, rushed to the location, and informed the Tiruvannamalai West police and firefighters. Firefighters pulled the bodies from the water and transferred them to the Government Medical College and Hospital in Tiruvannamalai town for post-mortem examinations. Authorities have registered a case regarding the incident. Collector Vandhana Garg and Superintendent of Police R. Uthayakumar visited the hospital to meet the families of the victims in the presence of hospital dean Edvina Vasantah, and later inspected the irrigation tank itself. An investigation is currently ongoing.

Context

Accidents involving open water bodies like rural irrigation tanks often happen when people enter deep areas without knowing how to swim. Local authorities typically inspect such sites and offer support to grieving families while police investigate the exact sequence of events. Public safety around village water tanks remains an ongoing concern for local administrations.