Yashodhar Bangera / Sunil Haleangady
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (DV)

Mangalore, Jul 20: Grief struck two families, at Moodbidri and Bajpe, here on Sunday July 20 as five children drowned in two separate incidents.

In the incident reported at Mijar under Bajpe police limits, three sisters drowned at a quarry located behind their house.

The deceased have been identified as Vanishree (12), Meghashree (11) and Yakshita (6), children of coolie workers Vasu Shettigar and Seeta.

It is said that when the children did not return home after play even though it started raining, their mother went searching for them and found their footwear near the pond at the quarry.

Seeta at once alerted the locals who rushed to the spot and dived into the pond. Though they managed to bring the children out of the water and rushed them to hospital, all three breathed their last on the way.

Mangalore North MLA Mohiuddin Bava who visited the family expressed his sympathies and handed over a cheque of Rs 4.5 lac, that is Rs 1.5 lac for each deceased child, as compensation.

A case has been registered in Bajpe police station.

In the other incident, reported at Malady village in Belvai, Moodbidri, two little girls met watery grave when they went to play near a quarry.

The deceased have been identified as Suraksha (7) and Sukanya (4), daughters of Suresh and Sita.

It is said that the when the girls did not return home long after they went out to play, the family grew anxious and along with the locals, searched for them. It then came to light that the girls had fallen into a pond at the quarry and drowned.

Fire service and Moodbidri police rushed to the spot.

A case has been registered in Moodbidri police station.