Woman washed away in Palar river near Katpadi

A 60-year-old woman was washed away in a flash flood in Palar river near Katpadi town in Vellore on Thursday.

Police said the deceased woman was identified as V. Geetha, a native of Kavanur village near K.V. Kuppam. Initial inquiry revealed that farmer S. Vajiram (70) and his family members including wife Geeta, son Ashok Kumar (35) and daughter in-law Poornima (30) were involved in rearing cows in their farmland in the village.

Police said the family also used to take cattle to grazing fields along the river. Along with the daughter in-law, Geetha took her cows across the river and left the animals for grazing. After some time, the duo found that a cow was missing in the herd. They found the animal got struck in the flash floods in the river. Unaware of the danger, they tried to cross the river to save the animal.

As the water level was rising, they cried for help. Immediately, passersby and other farmers rushed to the spot. They managed to bring two women to the bund of the river. Based on an alert, K.V. Kuppam police inspected the spot. Two women were admitted at Government Medical College Hospital in Vellore town where doctors said that Geetha was brought dead whereas Poornima is undergoing treatment. A case was registered. A probe is under way.