Malappuram (Kerala) | A 19-year-old youth drowned while swimming with his friends and relatives in a temple pond here on Sunday, police said.

The deceased was identified as Sreehari P K, son of Sreenivasan, a resident of Karikkad near Thrikkalangode in Manjeri.

According to police, the incident occurred at around 12.30 pm when Sreehari, along with his friends and relatives, went to the pond at the Sree Subramaniam Temple in Karikkad.

While swimming, Sreehari drowned, and those accompanying him were unable to rescue him, police said.

Fire and Rescue Services personnel launched a search operation after being alerted.

Sreehari was later pulled out of the pond and rushed to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared him dead.

Manjeri police have registered a case of unnatural death and launched an investigation. The body will be handed over to the family after the postmortem examination, police added.