Cuddalore (Tamil Nadu): A crocodile dragged an 18-year-old student into the Kollidam river on Saturday while he was bathing in the river. Later, the body of the youth was recovered by the forest department officials. The deceased was identified as Thirumalai, a resident of North Velakudi village near Chidambaram, who went to the old Kollidam river for taking a bath, along with his friends Vishnu and Palanivel. As Thirumalai entered the river he was dragged by a crocodile into deep water and then disappeared.
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Thirumalai's friends alerted his family and subsequently, officials from the fire department, forest department, Cuddalore district Commissioner Haridas Chidambaram and Assistant Superintendent of Police Raghupathi reached the spot and launched a search operation. After two hours of search Thirumalai's body was recovered and sent for post-mortem. Kollidam river has crocodiles and often they drag cattle that reach the river bank to drink water.
