TRAGIC END TO A PILGRIMAGE

                                        TRAGIC END TO A PILGRIMAGE


     Four youths who were returning home after attending the Holy week observance at Malayattoor shrine drowned in the Periyar on Good Friday, 22nd April.2011 Morning. Police identified the deceased as Jithin of Puthukad veedu, Veli, Fork Kochi, Bineeesh of Pariyath House, Fort Kochi, Antony Jerry of Palakkathara, For Kochi and Rajeevan of Kurisuparambil veetil, For Kochi. The youth were put of an 11 member group from Fort Kochi that had reached the Shrine on Thursday evening. They were returning home after attending the Holy week observance, when they got down at Kolakkatu Kadavu, approximately 500 meters away from the animal Rescue Centre of the state Forest Department at Kodanad near Permbavoor, on Friday morning. Bineesh, who first entered the water, slipped off a ledge and fell in the river. Antony Jerry, Rajeevan, and Jithin who were standing nearby tried to rescue him but failed. They all drowned immediately.
 Jojo,brother of Antony Jerry, who also fell in to the river, escaped with minor injuries.

          Prof. John Kurakar