A student of Class XI who had gone to bathe in the Hooghly with a friend drowned on Thursday afternoon.
His friend was saved by others present at Manik Bose Ghat near Nimtala.
The incident happened around 2pm, police said.
The boy who drowned has been identified as Shibam Shaw, a resident of Dum Dum.
His friend has been identified as Deep Pal, from Sinthi Lane.
Deep has been admitted to hospital and is said to be in a “stable condition”.
“Both the boys somehow started to drown. Others present at the ghat spotted them and dragged them out of the water,” said a police officer in the port division.
“The boys were taken to the Calcutta Medical College and Hospital, where one of them was declared dead. The condition of the other boy is stable,” the officer added.
“It seems there was no foul play,” another officer said.
“We have not received any complaint from the family of the deceased,” said an officer at North Port police station.
The police have started an unnatural death case.
A police officer said it was yet to be ascertained if the boys could swim.