In a heart-rending incident, four children from a family met a watery grave when they went to watch cranes in a lake at T Basnahalli, near here, on Sunday.

The four are: Shalini (13), Sharat (10), Bindu (10) and Chandana (12). Two others, Ashwini (13) and Suma (12) survived.

Sharat, who accompanied his grandfather Narayanappa to the farm in the morning, saw cranes in the lake. Excited at the new arrivals, he went back to get his sisters to watch the birds. As there was slush near the lake, they went near the water to wash their feet. They slipped and fell into it one by one.

Suma, who knew swimming, managed to drag Ashwini out. When she turned around to see her other siblings, they had disappeared. Shocked, they both ran towards their house.

Villagers who rushed to the spot were not able to save the others, DySP Narayanappa told Deccan Herald.

Former minister V Muniyappa, ZP former president V Subramani, leader Meluru Murali, Youth Congress president H K Ramesh, TP president Muniraju, social Raghunath Reddy and others visited the spot and consoled the grieving family members.

Inspector Dasappa, Rural sub inspector Ramappa Gutter and their staff visited the spot.

Gloom pervades

Even as news of the children meeting the watery grave spread, the village plunged into gloom. It is unbelievable a tragedy of this magnitude could strike members of one family, said villager Venkatappa with tears in his eyes.

“My brother’s son Sharat is a very mischievous boy. Everyone loved his pranks. He would not sit in one place for long. As soon as he saw the cranes, he took his sisters to watch them.

My sister’s daughter Bindu had come to spend her Sunday with us just the previous day. Even she  met an unfortunate end,” said Someshakar, who lost his two children in the tragedy.