Three medical students from Bengaluru tragically lost their lives in a drowning incident at Payyambalam beach in Kerala’s Kannur on Sunday, police said. The students—Afnan, Rahanuddeen and Afras—were part of an eight‑person group that had come to Kannur on a leisure trip.
According to police, the group entered the sea around 7 a.m. despite warnings about rough conditions. While some members stayed near shore, the powerful rip currents pulled three students deeper. Two, Afnan and Rahanuddeen, were rescued by residents, lifeguards and the fire‑and‑rescue team. They were rushed to Kannur Government Hospital, but doctors pronounced them dead on arrival. Search operations for the third victim, Afras, ran for nearly two hours. Local fishermen and the firefighting crew eventually recovered his body a short distance from the bathing spot.
Kannur City Police have filed a case of unnatural death and are working with the medical college and families in Karnataka to arrange transport of the bodies. The incident adds to a troubling pattern at Payyambalam beach, which has seen several drownings in recent years because of strong rip currents, especially in the post‑monsoon period.
Police and local authorities have appealed for visitors to heed safety advisories and stay out of the water during turbulent conditions. Officials are also looking at tightening swimming restrictions on vulnerable stretches of the coastline, particularly during early‑morning and evening hours when lifeguard coverage is limited. The beach’s residents and tourists were visibly shaken by news of the loss.
Source: ianslive
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