In a freak incident, a 52-year-old man, Mastan Pandiyan, died on Sunday after drowning when he was trying to find the body of a watchman,S. Murugan, 65, who was believed to have drowned in a well near Rajapalayam, on Saturday.
The police said Murugan of Sivagamiyapuram, which falls under the Rajapalayam North police station limits, had gone to the farm well, belonging to Gopal, for bathing on Saturday evening. He had left his clothes near the well and was later found to be missing.
On Sunday morning, local residents, afraid that Murugan had drowned in the well, engaged Mastan Pandiyan to take out the body. He got into the well, but there was no trace of him after sometime.
Subsequently, local residents alerted the Rajapalayam fire and rescue station. A team of firemen, led by Station Fire Officer, S. Jayaraman, managed to pull out the body of Mastan Pandiyan. However, the firemen are yet to trace the body of Murugan.
Mr. Jeyaraman said that Mastan Pandiyan used to help the firemen in similar situations. The local residents, instead of contacting the Fire station, had on their own engaged Mastan Pandiyan, he said.
The rescue operation is still on.
