RANNI: Two students drowned while bathing in Madatharuvi waterfall near Mandamruthi. Abhijith (Jeethu - 14), son of Aji and Praseeja and Abhishek (Sabari - 14), son of Pichanad Prasad and Jaya died. Durgadathan (14), son of Jiju from Pariyaram, escaped. The incident took place at around 1 pm yesterday.

They are friends and neighbors. Durgadathan, who had gone to pick up his mobile phone which was kept on the top of a rock, didn't see his friends when he returned. The locals ran away when they heard Durgadathan's screams. The bodies were found in a cave-like area. The bodies were shifted to a private hospital in Ranni. The bodies will be handed over to relatives today after Covid test.

Abhijith was a ninth class student of Ranni Citadel School. Abhishek was a ninth class student of Little Flower School, Kollamulla. Abhishek's father Prasad is an officer in the Kanjirapally fire brigade. Gauri Prasad is his sister. Abhijith's brother is Akash.