Two nursing students drown in Perumbavoor; third battles for life in ICU

Kochi: What began as an ordinary morning outing for a group of three nursing students ended in tragedy within minutes, leaving two young lives lost and another battling for survival. The incident took place on Tuesday around 11.30 am at the Periyar Valley canal in Ashamannoor near Perumbavoor, a spot that has recently gained popularity on social media but remains treacherous due to hidden undercurrents.

The deceased students have been identified as Ajmal Habeeb (21) of Kanjavely in Kollam and Ajsel P K (22) of Chunkathara in Malappuram. The third student, who has been rescued but continues to be in a critical condition, has been identified as Emil Sunil (21) of Manarkad in Kottayam.

The tragedy has plunged the Indira Gandhi Memorial College of Nursing into deep mourning, even as anxious prayers continue for Emil, who is fighting for life with ventilator support in a private hospital in Kothamangalam.

According to Kuruppampady police, all these students were staying in the college hostel.

While initial reports suggested the group had gone for a swim, the college principal Dr Bindu CG clarified that the tragedy was sparked by a simple attempt to wash their feet. “They didn't go in to bathe; they just went to wash their feet. One of them went a bit further ahead and slipped. Another tried to give him a hand, but because he was a bit heavy, he was also pulled into the deep. The third student then bravely tried to save them both, and that is how the situation escalated into a disaster,” Dr Bindu told Onmanorama.

The Kuruppampady police said that the students were caught off guard by the powerful undercurrents. “Local residents said they have warned the students to avoid bathing at that spot but it seemed they ignored the warning. Whether they dived in or one of them accidentally fell and the others tried to save them is unclear. It was the residents who first dived in to rescue them. Two of them were retrieved from the water by them and the other one was retrieved by the fire and rescue team. Two of the students knew how to swim but that did not help them as the currents here are very strong," an officer with Kuruppampady police said.

The atmosphere at the college remains sombre as students and faculty wait for news regarding Emil Sunil. Dr Bindu spoke emotionally about the bond between the students and the collective hope for a miracle.

"Everyone is very upset; our entire college community is in deep mourning for the lives we have lost. Right now, all our students are together, praying with all their hearts for Emil. We are hoping against hope that he will survive this, regain consciousness, and come back to life soon,” she said.

The stretch of canal, which now sees many visitors from various places after getting popular on social media, has once again come under scrutiny for its hidden dangers and lack of safety measures following the accident.

Chithra Chandran, a former member of the Ashamannoor ward, said that while locals know which areas are safe, visitors often stray into dangerous sections like the “whirlpool” area where this accident occurred.

“There are no warning boards. Students and others see this place on Instagram reels and come here in large numbers. Usually, the people who bathe here are expert swimmers, but now many outsiders who don't know the depth or the undercurrents are arriving. Although the panchayat has discussed safety measures in the past, no signs were present to warn the students of the danger,” Chandran said.

The Kuruppampady police have registered a case of unnatural death under Section 194 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS). Following the completion of post-mortem examinations, the bodies of Ajmal and Ajsel were released to their grieving families.