Three brothers, the oldest a 12-year-old, drowned in a pond near their house at Kunissery, near Alathur, in the district on Sunday. The accident occurred around mid-day, plunging the village into shock.

The boys were identified as Jinshad, 12; Rinshad, 7; and Rifas, 3, sons of Jaseer Khan and Ramla from Kuthirappara, Kunissery.

The children had come to play with their friend Shruti, who is staying about half a kilometre from their house. Tragedy struck when they were washing their hands after playing in a nearby field. The police, quoting the family, said Rinshad slipped and fell in the pond first. He grabbed Rifas during the plunge. Jinshad too slipped and drowned while trying to rescue his little brothers.

Neighbours came running on hearing Shruti’s cries, but could not rescue the siblings. The bodies were buried at the Vermanoor Juma Masjid graveyard, Kuthirappara, after post-mortem examination at the government taluk hospital, Alathur. Minister for Agriculture V.S. Sunil Kumar and K.D. Prasenan, MLA, visited the bereaved family.