17-Year-Old Boy Drowns Amid Poor Safety At Kozhikode’s Kuttichira Pond: Locals Blame Late Rescue
A routine weekend swim turned tragic at the Kuttichira pond in Kozhikode when a 17-year-old boy, identified as Yahiya, a Plus-One student and a resident of Kappakkal, drowned around 9:00 a.m. on Sunday.
Yahiya was reportedly accompanied by other children when the incident occurred, yet could not be saved in time.
The drowning has reignited public concern over the inadequate safety measures at this popular local water body, especially given that this is the second such incident reported at the same pond within a week.
Eyewitnesses told Timeline that several children were in the water at the time of the tragedy. While many reportedly knew how to swim, there were no lifeguards or adequate safety equipment available. Although some signage warning of potential danger was present, locals said they were insufficient and not properly enforced.
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The Fire and Rescue Department reached the spot after calls from bystanders, but some residents claimed the response was delayed, which may have worsened the outcome. Yahiya was eventually pulled from the water and rushed to Beach Hospital, where he was declared dead.
“This isn’t the first time,” one local told Timeline. “Children swim here every weekend. There’s no monitoring, no lifeguards, no fencing — just a few signs that don’t do enough. How many more lives before someone takes action?”
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With this being the second fatal drowning at Kuttichira Pond in less than seven days, residents are demanding that authorities step in with urgent interventions: lifeguards, fencing, safety ropes, and strict regulations, especially during weekends and holidays when footfall is high.
Police have launched an investigation to confirm the full sequence of events leading to the tragedy. Further updates are expected as the case unfolds.
