Bantwal: Wedding trip turns tragic - Youth washed away in Netravati river
Daijiworld Media Network – Bantwal
Bantwal, Sep 9: A youth was swept away by strong currents while bathing in Netravati river at Sajipa Munnur, Manjalpade here on Sunday September 8 morning.
The deceased has been identified as Praveen Kulal (20), from Kadeshwalya.
The three others who had accompanied Praveen - Kiran Amtoor, Ajay Honnavar and Kamalaksha, luckily escaped. They are undergoing treatment at a hospital.
It is learnt that Praveen visited the place to attend his friend Harish’s wedding which was held at Kateel. After the wedding ceremony, lunch was arranged at a wedding hall in Melkar. On the occasion of Harish’s wedding, Praveen went to his residence in Manjalpade on Saturday evening. Once the wedding party left for Kateel for the ceremony, Praveen along with Kiran, Ajay, Vijay and Kamalaksha went to the river to take bath.
While bathing, Praveen was swept away by the strong currents of the river. Although Kamalaksha tried to rescue him, he failed. Kamalaksha who got pulled in by the strong currents was pull rescued by Vijay, Ajay and Kiran. He was later taken to a hospital. Even though the locals and fire department personnel launched a search operation, Praveen’s body could not be traced.
Praveen was working as a welder in Mangalore. Earlier he was working with Harish in Madikeri. Praveen took his relative Vijay to Harish’s house to attend the wedding.
He is the eldest among the two sons of Chandrahas Kulal and Baby.
Police arrive late
Even though the incident took place at around 8 am, police arrived at the spot only at 1 pm, whereas the fire department personnel who began the search operation at 9.30 am went back at around noon as they felt that the searching with their boat was not possible.
The locals expressed anger against the police who arrived late and the fire personnel who left the place without searching much. Even after the fire personnel left from the place, locals continued the search operation till evening. But they did not succeed in tracing Praveen.
A few years ago four people lost their lives in the same Manjalpade Netravati river. Speaking to reporters, boatman Ismail who was present during the incident said that he saw the youths in the water and went towards them in his boat to warn them. But before he could reach them Praveen was washed away. "If I could have reached them two minutes earlier, Praveen could have been saved," he said.