CHENNAI: A 19-year-old youth drowned in Retteri lake near Kolathur on Tuesday when he fled on seeing a police patrol team.

The youth was identified as J Gerald David, a school drop-out doing menial jobs to earn a living. According to police sources, after the control received a complaint call stating that a group of inebriated men were creating ruckus in Sivasakthi Nagar 10th street, a patrol team went to the area.

When the team reached there, Gerald and four of his friends were consuming alcohol near their house. Seeing the police, the youth took to their heels with the police team hot on their heels. While three of them escaped, two men, including Gerald, jumped into the Retteri lake.

The police said that one police official, too, went into the lake and pulled one man to the banks of the lake. However, Gerald was stuck in the mud and before the personnel could reach him, he drowned, officials said.

The Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Service (TNFRS) department were alerted and personnel from TNFRS secured Gerald and moved him to a hospital, where he was declared brought dead.

The Rajamangalam police have registered a case and are investigating.