Several thousand fishes died in a sprawling lake in Poosivakkam village near Wallajahbad in Kancheepuram district. While residents noticed a few dead fishes floating on the surface of the water earlier this week, many more were found along the banks since Thursday evening.

According to sources in Wallajahbad Panchayat Union, the death was due to contamination of the lake by effluents from several dyeing units in villages around the lake.