Chennai, Apr 5 (IANS): Five youths died while participating in the Theerthavari festival of Dharmalingam temple in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday.

According to sources, the incident took place in the Moovarasampet water tank near Keelkattalai in the suburbs of Chennai.

The youths who are in the age group of 18-23 drowned when they went for a bath in the temple pond.

They had taken the idol for procession outside the temple compound.

After the temple festivities were over, the younsters had gone for a bath in the pond. When two of them started to drown, the other three tried to save them and all five met a watery grave.

The deceased are identified as Raghavan of Madippakam, Yogeswaran of Keelkattalai, Vanesh, Raghavan, and R. Surya of Nanganallur.

Palavathangal police, along with Fire and Rescue personnel, reached the spot after being alerted but could not save them.

The bodies were retrieved from the water and sent to Government Hospital, Chrompet for post-mortem.