Agartala, June 17 -- Three teenage boys drowned while swimming in a pond in the Matripalli area of Badharghat, located on the outskirts of Agartala in Tripura, on Tuesday morning.

The victims, all close friends, were identified as Babi Shukla Das (18), Subuam Deb (17), and Shubhajit Deb (17).

According to police reports, four boys had gone to the pond for a swim. While one stayed back on the bank due to his inability to swim, the other three entered the water. As they moved toward the deeper parts while playing, they lost control and began to drown.

Hearing their frantic cries for help, the friend on the shore raised an alarm. Local residents rushed to the spot and jumped into the pond in a desperate bid to rescue the boys.

One of the...