Pathanamthitta: The bodies of two boys who went missing in a canal in Kidangannur here were found on Sunday. A scuba diving team from Chengannur and Pathanamthitta discovered the bodies 400 metres downstream from where they were last seen. The victims, Abhiraj (15) and Ananthu Nath (15), both students of SVGV School, drowned on Saturday.

The three friends had gone to bathe in the Pamba Irrigation canal at around 5 pm When Abhiraj was caught in the current, the other two attempted to rescue him. In the process, Ananthu was also swept away, while the third friend managed to escape to safety.

As the students did not return home by evening, a search operation was initiated. Clothes were found near the canal, and CCTV footage from a nearby house showed the three entering the water. Despite search efforts continuing until midnight, the bodies were not found.

The canal, which had recently been cleaned and had its water released, is deeper and wider, with strong currents. Authorities believe that the students who could not swim entered the water, leading to the tragic incident. The canal’s shutters were closed on Saturday night to assist with the search.