Gujarat: Two minor boys drown in Tapi canal

Two school boys, aged nine and 10, drowned while swimming in a water canal in Kukarmunda taluka of Tapi district on Wednesday evening, police said on Thursday.

The incident happened when five boys — all around 9-10 years of age — from Mondla village skipped their classes to take a dip in the canal of Juna Amoda village, around 2.5 kilometres from their village. As the two boys began to drown, the three others approached the locals for help. The locals retrieved the bodies of the minors and informed the Nizar police.

The deceased were identified as Class 4 student Nihal Vasava (9), and Naitik Vasava (10), who was in Class 5.

“Water discharged from Ukai dam flows into the canal. We have lodged an accidental death case and have started a probe,” said Nizar police sub-inspector Prakash Hathila.