Palakkad: Two boys were swept away by strong currents in the Bharathapuzha River in Palakkad on Sunday. The incident took place around 12.30 pm when Abhijith and Sugunesh, both around 18 years old and residents of nearby Mathur panchayat, entered the river to bathe.

“Sugunesh was caught in the current and Abhijith jumped in to save him. The water level was higher than usual due to the release from the Malampuzha dam. A woman who heard their screams alerted a man grazing cattle nearby. He jumped into the river and managed to rescue Abhijith,” said A Satheesh, Kottayi panchayat president.

Fire and rescue personnel are at the site, and the search for Sugunesh is still underway. “The missing boy’s mother has been contacted. Residents usually don’t allow outsiders to enter the river, but no one was around when the boys entered it. The search is challenging due to the high water level. The fire and rescue team has informed that the water release from the dam needs to be stopped for the search to continue smoothly,” Satheesh added.

Abhijith was first taken to a private hospital and later shifted to the district hospital with minor injuries.