The bodies of all students from Andhra Pradesh who drowned in Tamil Nadu’s Mahabalipuram on March 2 have been recovered, Mamallapuram police told TNM on Monday, March 4. 

According to reports, a group of 40 Arts and Science college students from Chittoor and Anantapur districts in Andhra Pradesh had gone to the beach in Mahabalipuram after visiting local monuments. While around 20 students were said to have entered the water, ten of them were pulled into the ocean by a huge wave. Following calls for help by fellow students, five of them were rescued by fishermen in the vicinity. A little later, the body of one student, identified as Vijay (24) washed up ashore. Four others were missing since the day of the accident and their bodies have now been recovered. 

The deceased, whose bodies were recovered on March 3, were identified as Pethuraj (26), Shesha Reddy (25), Mavunish (18) and Parthushya (19). Their bodies were finally found by local authorities with the help of fishermen from the neighbourhood.