Four children, who had gone along with their family members to the banks of Pedderu rivulet at L Gavaravaram village under V Madugulu police station limits in Visakhapatnam district, drowned after they ventured into the waters on Monday.
The deceased children have been identified as N. Mahender (7), V. Venkata Jhansi (10), V. Gouthami Sharmila (7) and V. Jahnavi (11) and all were residents of L. Gavaravaram in the Visakha agency area.
The police said one of the women in the group V. Raja Kumari took the four children, including her daughter Jhansi, to the rivulet to wash clothes. While she was washing the clothes, the children who were playing in the water entered a deeper spot and drowned.
On seeing the children drowning, some of the family members present nearby attempted to save them. But their efforts proved futile.
The V Madugula police led by Sub-Inspector Y Tarakeswara Rao rushed to the spot and retrieved the bodies. The police said that the children were caught in a mire in the water body. The police have registered a case under Section 174 of CrPC and investigation is on. The bodies have been sent for post-mortem.
