Badaun (Uttar Pradesh), Jun 21 (IANS): Three children, aged between 7 and 11, accidentally fell and drowned in a large pit, allegedly dug for illegal sand mining near Sot River in Islamnagar area of Badaun district.

The children, hailing from Kunwarpur village, were grazing cattle near the river when the accident took place, late on Saturday evening.

Their families are yet to lodge a complaint with police.

According to reports, Altamash, 11, and Ismail, 11, along with their neighbour, Monis, 7, had gone towards the river with their cattle.

It had been raining all day and the large pit was filled to the brim.

A few children playing nearby said Monis suddenly slipped into the water. As he started drowning, Altamash and Ismail tried to rescue Monis. But they, too, lost their balance in the slippery mud and fell into the water. None of the children knew how to swim and drowned.

After the other children ran towards the village to seek help, villagers pulled out the bodies. They were taken to a hospital in neighbouring Chandausi town by their families but the doctors pronounced them brought dead.