A 46-year-old fire and rescue service personnel died while attempting to save two cows which got trapped in loose sand in Cauvery river in Srirangam here today.
Gubendran along with three of his colleagues undertook the more than one-hour long operation to rescue two cows at Veereswaram following information.
They fought against the water current and managed to pull out two cows. However, one of them died before it could be brought out of water.
Gubendran fell unconscious in the process and was rushed to local government hospital but doctors said he was already dead. Police registered a case and are investigating.
Police said illegal sand mining led to the shifting of loose sand from one place to the other.
