Triple fatalities in Kozhikode prompt scrutiny of river safety
Three people, including two minors, drowned in separate incidents across Kozhikode district on Friday, underlining persistent risks posed by rivers and inland waterbodies in the district and across Kerala. Local police and rescue services said the deaths occurred in the Chovva river at Maniyur near Vadakara and at Manipuram near Koduvally.
Police identified the two victims at Maniyur as Nabeel, 19, and Sinan, 12, both residents of the Orkkatteri area. They were part of a four-member group that entered the river to learn swimming when a strong current caught them, officials said. Two members of the group managed to escape; Nabeel was found by locals and taken to Vadakara Cooperative Hospital in critical condition but later died. Sinan was recovered around 6 pm in a joint search by residents and Fire and Rescue Service personnel but could not be revived.
In a separate incident at Manipuram near Koduvally, 15-year-old Muhammad Shahin drowned after being caught in the current while fishing, according to official information. Fire and Rescue Service personnel from Mukkam, supported by a special scuba-diving team from the Vellimadukunnu station, conducted a search and recovered the boy; he was taken to hospital and declared dead.
The three deaths on the same day have intensified debate over preventive measures. Community leaders and residents have repeatedly sought improved signposting, more visible warning systems at known danger spots, and targeted swimming and water-safety education for children and young people who use rivers for recreation and livelihood activities.
- Incidents: Two drownings at Chovva river (Maniyur near Vadakara); one at Manipuram near Koduvally.
- Victims: Nabeel (19), Sinan (12), Muhammad Shahin (15).
- Response: Local residents, Fire and Rescue Service teams from Mukkam and a scuba-diving team from Vellimadukunnu were involved in searches; Vadakara Cooperative Hospital received one critical patient.
“Drowning claimed 10,451 lives in Kerala between 2016 and 2021,” the State Crime Records Bureau said in response to an RTI, adding that 8,169 of those deaths were classified as accidental.
Official statistics indicate that the problem is longstanding and statewide. National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data show 1,385 drowning deaths in Kerala in 2024, compared with 1,344 in 2023. The 2024 figures covered 1,349 drowning incidents and documented 1,160 men and 225 women among the fatalities, with 11 people recorded as having suffered serious injuries.
| Period / Year | Deaths / Incidents |
|---|---|
| 2016–2021 (SRCB response) | 10,451 drowning deaths (8,169 accidental) |
| 2023 (NCRB) | 1,344 deaths |
| 2024 (NCRB) | 1,385 deaths; 1,349 incidents; 1,160 men, 225 women; 11 serious injuries |
Local authorities said the incidents would be examined to identify gaps in public awareness, signage and rescue capability. Fire and Rescue Service teams have been increasing outreach in recent years, and district administration officials have periodically announced plans for community-level training and better marking of hazardous stretches, but residents and civic groups say implementation remains uneven.
Public-health and safety authorities in Kozhikode face the twin challenge of addressing informal use of rivers — for bathing, swimming, fishing and recreation — and ensuring that vulnerable groups, including children and adolescents, receive basic water-safety training. The cluster of deaths on a single day has revived calls for coordinated preventive action involving the district administration, police, local bodies, schools and volunteer organisations.
As enquiries continue, police urged members of the public to avoid entering fast-flowing rivers and to exercise caution when near waterbodies, especially during monsoon-influenced periods when currents can become unexpectedly strong.
