In a shocking piece of news, three students were feared drowned in the sea off Marina Beach on Monday, when the beaches had reopened to the public after four months of lockdown. On Monday, as the sequel of the relaxations from the Tamil Nadu government, beaches, theatres, and parks were opened and got back to business across the state and these recreational spots were reopened, hundreds of people had thronged to these places and Marina Beach, one of Chennai's top-most attractions, had also witnessed huge gathering in its long stretch of the seashore. 

As hundreds of police had gathered on the beach, police officials were deployed for security purposes and the cops had kept airing instructions to the people to follow the Covid-19 protocols and wear masks. While the Chennaiites were relishing on the shore, there was a shocking incident where three students were feared drowned in the sea. According to reports, these three students were playing in the sea when a huge wave had engulfed them. 

The missing students were identified as 17-year-old Vimal of Pallavaram and Shakthivel (17) and Akash (17) of Alapakkam. They had completed Class 12 and were waiting to join the college for higher studies. The reports say that these three students had come to the beach with their three friends and all of them were playing in the sea when a huge wave engulfed all of them. While three friends had managed to come to the shore, these three students had gone missing.

The students who had come to the shore and screamed for help and some fishermen had ventured into the sea to rescue the missing students. However, they were nowhere to be found following which the incident was reported to the police. Based on the information, a police team from the Anna Square Police station had arrived at the spot and after investigating the students and fishermen, they had registered a case into the incident. 

The police had also sought the help of the Coastal Security Group and Fire and Rescue Department. The rescuers have begun the searches to find the missing students. However, they are yet to be located. The shocking incident that happened on the first day of the resumption of beaches had saddened the entire state even as the rescuers are bracing a setback in their efforts to locate the missing students.