Four boys died after they are believed to have fallen into a drain while trying to retrieve a football in Taman Desa Kayangan, Sungai Karangan, Kulim, yesterday evening.
Kulim district police chief Syamsul Sinring said two of the boys died at the scene, while the other two succumbed to their injuries while being taken to Kulim Hospital.
The victims were identified as Zafril Arsyad Azrin, 12; Iman Nuruddin Khairol Anuar, 10; step-siblings Aeril Aziz Zafis, 12; and Arif Naufan Abdullah, eight.
“Police received a call from a member of the public at 7.45pm yesterday, reporting that four victims had drowned in a retention pond at Taman Desa Kayangan,” Syamsul said in a statement today.
All four boys lived in the vicinity of Taman Desa Kayangan.
According to their mothers, the boys had left home to play football before the ball reportedly fell into a drain.
Syamsul said the boys were believed to have tried to retrieve the ball before falling into the drain.
The drain was estimated to be about 10 feet deep and six feet wide. Police said there were no witnesses to the incident.
The boys’ bodies were taken to Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital in Alor Setar last night for post-mortem examinations.
