Four drown in Cauvery river in Tamil Nadu

Dharmapuri (Tamil Nadu) Sep 28 (IANS) Four youths drowned in the Cauvery river in Tamil Nadu Sunday, officials said.

'Seven young men from Salem district came to the Hogenekkal falls in Dharmapuri district for a picnic and four of them, Ashok Kumar, 20, Shankar, 19, Thirugnanam, 23 and Yuvraj, 20, went swimming near the falls. Thye were apparently caught in a whirlpool and are missing. Their three friends were ashore and couldn't save them,' district collector P. Amudha told IANS.

'Operations to retrieve the bodies are underway and the parents of the victims have been intimated about the tragedy,' Amudha added.

Situated some 350 km southwest of state capital Chennai, the picturesque falls and a temple here are major tourist attractions.