Thaindian News

Guwahati, Feb 7 (IANS) Two school students were drowned in the Brahmaputra river after a group of seven students in Assam’s main city went for a picnic from home on the pretext of completing a school project.
A police spokesperson said the incident took place near Chunchali on the outskirts of Guwahati Sunday afternoon with the seven class 9 students of the city based Gurukul Grammar School going for a picnic without the knowledge of their parents.

“The students were sitting on the river bank when one of them slipped and fell down in the Brahmaputra,” a senior police official said.

One of them jumped to rescue his friend and he too was swept away by the strong river current.

“A third student who knew swimming, plunged in too, but returned after he realised the current was too strong,” the official said.

The five students have been taken into police custody after going through a breath analysing test at a local hospital.

“Two of them were found to be under the influence of liquor,” the official said.

Parents of the seven students said they were not aware their wards went for a picnic.

“They told their parents they had some school assignments to complete, some outdoor project,” the official said.

The Gurukul Grammar School is in the news for wrong reasons. Earlier this week a girl student of class 8 attempted suicide by jumping from the institution’s second floor after being punished by a teacher for speaking in Assamese inside the premises.