Daijiworld Media Network – Puttur (SP)

Puttur, Apr 21: The bodies of two boys, who had jumped into River Kumaradhara to save one of their friends but drowned, were recovered with a successful operation launched by Tannirbavi Youth Friends at midnight on Saturday. The fire brigade and expert divers had failed in their mission to bring their bodies out of water.

The boys, Mahesh (18) from Beeramgoli in Mulleriya, Kasargod district, and Ajit, a local, were members of a large crowd of boys that had accompanied the ‘Avabhratha’ procession of Lord Mahalingeshwara Temple to the river. After the ritualistic bath of the idol of the Lord, the procession returned, but the gang of boys wanted to swim in the river in a place known as Kudure Kaya at Veeramangala in River Kumaradhara. The fire brigade personnel had initially failed to find the bodies of the two students. Expert divers from Uppinangady-Guruvayanakere then tried hard thereafter, but drew a blank after making prolonged efforts.

At Around 11 pm, a team from Tannirbavi Youth Friends, assisted with oxygen masks and focus lights, took up the challenge and succeeded in bringing out the bodies after an operation lasting 30 minutes. It is learnt that the bodies were stuck underneath rocks about 30 feet deep. Expert divers, Javid, Zakir Hussain, Sadiq, Muhammed Wasim, Imraan, and Muneer, deserve credit for this feat.

Dakshina Kannada district deputy commissioner, A B Ibrahim, visited the town on Sunday April 20 morning, and he was requested to pressurize the government to sanction compensation for the bereaved families.

The locals resented lack of facilities to save lives in scenarios like these, particularly so as the area has several rivers and rivulets. Assistant commissioner, H K Krishnamurthy, said that placards warning about dangerous spots would be set up at different places.

Bodies were handed over to the relatives after conducting post mortem on Sunday morning. The body of Ajit was cremated in the graveyard here in the afternoon, while mortal remains of Mahesh were taken to his native place at Beerangoli, Mulleriya in Kasargod district. Puttur tahsildar, M T Kullegowda, and town police station sub-inspector, Rafique, were present. Locals have requested the officials to ensure that the families get compensation for loss of lives.