Mahabalipuram family outing turns tragic: Father dead, two teen daughters missing
Venkatesan (39) of Agaram in Perambur, along with 17 of his relatives, went on a picnic in a van along the East Coast Road.
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CHENNAI: A family trip to Mahabalipuram turned tragic on Sunday evening, leaving a man dead and his two teenage daughters missing after giant waves dragged four members of a family into the sea.
Venkatesan (39) of Agaram in Perambur, along with 17 of his relatives, went on a picnic in a van along the East Coast Road. They visited several tourist spots in Mahabalipuram and the Tiruporur Murugan temple. Later in the evening, they stopped at Sulerikadu beach around 5.30 p.m.
Police said local fishermen present at the spot warned the group that it was dangerous to go into the sea in the evening, as the waves were abnormally strong due to heavy winds. However, despite the warning, the family entered the water for swimming.
Suddenly, a massive wave pulled Venkatesan, his daughters Karthika (17) and Tulasi (16), and his sister Hemavathi (40). Hearing their cries, the fishermen immediately launched boats and began a rescue operation. With the help of police and Coastal Security Guard personnel, Hemavathi was rescued alive and rushed to a private hospital, where she is undergoing treatment.
On Monday morning, Venkatesan's body washed ashore at Sulerikuppam. Police retrieved the body and sent it to Chengalpattu Government Hospital for a post-mortem examination.
Meanwhile, search operations are still under way to trace Karthika and Tulasi, who were studying in Class 12 and Class 11, respectively, at a private school in Peravallur. The Mahabalipuram police have registered a case.