Three boys, including two brothers, drowned in a pond at Thalikkal village near Sholinghur town in Ranipet while they went to play after school hours.

Police said the deceased have been identified as V. Amudhan, 9, V. Sugan, 6, and their neighbour, S. Elanchezhiyan, 10. Farming couple K. Vijayakanth and V. Nagajothi are parents of the siblings, while Elanchezhiyan is the son of B. Selvaraj and S. Hema.