Shivamogga canal tragedy: Second body recovered, search on for missing family members
Shivamogga: Authorities recovered a second body from the Bhadra Canal on Wednesday, the fourth day of the search operation at Arabilichi camp in Bhadravathi taluk of Shivamogga district.
The incident involves four members of the same family, including two women, who drowned in the canal on Sunday. The first body was recovered on Tuesday.
Personnel from the local police, fire and emergency services, and expert diving teams began the search operation soon after the incident.
According to the police, the victims have been identified as Neela Bai, her son Ravi, her daughter Shwetha, and her son-in-law Parashuram. Neela Bai reportedly slipped into the canal while washing clothes near the bank. The other three drowned while attempting to rescue her.
Shwetha had come to her mother’s house along with her husband to attend the Mari festival.
After three days of search, Ravi’s body was found in a decomposed state. His last rites were performed on Tuesday. On Wednesday, Neela Bai’s body was recovered about one km from the spot where she had fallen into the canal.
Shivamogga Rural MLA Sharada Pooryanaik visited the site and urged officials to reduce the water flow until all the bodies are traced. A case has been registered at the Holehonnur police station.
In another incident, two men drowned while bathing in the Kumaradhara River near the pilgrimage centre of Kukke Subramanya on January 19. Both were unmarried. The police said one of them slipped into deep water, and the other drowned while trying to save him.
Earlier, on September 7 last year, two college students from Bengaluru drowned in a lake under the Ramanagara Rural police station limits.
On October 8 last year, a family outing in Mandya district ended in tragedy after two women drowned and four others, including two children, went missing when the gates of the Markonahalli dam across the Shimsha river were suddenly opened. The family was visiting relatives in Magadipalya village in Kunigal taluk. At least seven family members were playing in the water when the crest gates opened automatically, releasing a strong surge that swept them away.