Karnataka drowning tragedy: Survivor recounts horror of Muthathi incident that claimed 5 lives
Mandya (Karnataka): In the wake of a tragic drowning incident that claimed the lives of five people, including four members of the same family, at the popular tourist destination of Muthathi near Karnataka’s Mandya, the lone survivor on Thursday recounted the horrifying sequence of events that culminated in the deaths.
The incident occurred on Wednesday evening, and the deceased have been identified as Vijayamma, 50, Shwetha, 38, Chaitra, 20, Priyanka, 28, and Mahesh, the family’s driver and a close family friend. All of them were residents of Byadarahalli in Bengaluru.
Speaking to the media, Ravi, a family member who survived the tragedy, said the group had attended a post-marriage function “Beegara Oota” at Kabbala and was returning to Bengaluru when they decided to visit the Kabbalamma Temple and the Muthathiraya Temple at Muthathi.
“After visiting the temple, we went near the river and played in the water. My sister Vijayamma suddenly slipped and fell into the river. To save her, my wife Shwetha, daughter Chaitra, and my sister’s daughter Priyanka rushed in, but they too were swept away by the strong current,” he said.
“Our friend Mahesh, who was driving the vehicle, immediately ran to rescue them. He, too, was pulled into the water and drowned,” he added.
Ravi said he also entered the river in an attempt to save them.
“I followed Mahesh and tried to pull them out. But I, too, was dragged into the water. I lost control and began drowning. Fortunately, someone managed to pull me out of the river. I survived, but all the others were swept away by the Cauvery,” he said.
Ravi said the incident unfolded within minutes.
“My sister fell first. My wife tried to save her, and then others followed. I handed my mobile phone to a child standing nearby and rushed into the river. I, too, got caught in the current. Fishermen present at the spot rescued me,” he said.
Personnel from the Fire and Emergency Services Department recovered all five bodies from the river and shifted them to MIMS Hospital for the post-mortem examination.
Mandya Deputy Commissioner Dr Kumar visited the mortuary on Thursday and expressed condolences to the bereaved family.
Speaking to reporters, he said preliminary reports indicated that the tragedy occurred around 4.30 p.m. on Wednesday while the victims were near the riverbank.
“According to the information available, the victims were taking photographs near the Cauvery riverbank when one person slipped into the water. As family members attempted to rescue each other, they too got caught in the current and drowned,” he said.
“This is a very painful incident. The victims lost their lives while trying to save one another because of their emotional attachment to each other,” he added.
The Deputy Commissioner noted that similar incidents had occurred at the same location in the past.
“Every year, four to five such incidents are reported here. According to police records, four incidents were reported last year and five the year before that. On average, five to six drowning incidents occur at this spot annually,” he said.
He added that the district administration had already held meetings with the police department and installed warning signboards at the location to alert visitors about the dangers.
Emotional scenes prevailed at the Mandya Institute of Medical Sciences (MIMS), where post-mortem examinations of the victims were conducted. A video purportedly showing the victims playing in the river moments before the tragedy has gone viral on social media, sparking concerns about safety measures at popular tourist spots.