Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 16 (IANS): Four members of a family tragically drowned in the Bharathapuzha River on Thursday while the deceased have been identified as Kabir (47), the owner of Cheruthuruthy Sara Bakery; his wife, Rehana (36), a resident of Cheruthuruthy; their 10-year-old daughter, Sara; and Rehana’s 12-year-old nephew, Sanu (Fuad).

The tragedy occurred while the two children were bathing in the river and were swept away by an underwater current. Kabir and Rehana jumped in to rescue the children but were themselves caught in the strong currents and drowned.

The incident took place at the Painkulam cremation ghat on the Bharathapuzha River. Although local residents and fire and rescue services managed to save Rehana and rush her to Jeevodaya Hospital in Chelakkara, she could not be revived.

The bodies of Kabir, Sara, and Sanu were later recovered by fire and rescue services, with assistance from the police and local residents. The Bharathapuzha River, also known as the Nila River, flows through parts of Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

With a length of 209 km, it is the second-longest river in Kerala after the Periyar. It has significantly influenced the culture and life of the South Malabar region in Kerala and is referred to as “Peraar” in ancient scripts.

An interstate river, the Bharathapuzha is a vital water source for residents in four administrative districts: Malappuram and Palakkad, as well as parts of the Palakkad-Thrissur district border in Kerala, and Coimbatore and Tiruppur in Tamil Nadu. The fertile Thrissur-Ponnani Kole Wetlands, a critical ecological region, lies along its banks.