Daijiworld Media Network - Dharwad (SP)

Dharwad, Aug 15: A woman, who left her small male baby inside a temple, jumped into Kelageri lake near the city on Tuesday August 13 night along with her three daughters. A former soldier jumped into the lake and saved the mother and her two daughters. The fire brigade which undertook operation on Wednesday, succeeded in locating the lifeless body of the woman's five-year-old daughter Saujanya, from the lake.

The woman and her children who jumped into the lake but survived were Ratnavva Raju Medara (33) from Kelageri here, and her children, Deepa and Pooja. Ratnavva's five-year old daughter, Saujanya, lost her life.

Ratnavva, a native of Kelageri, had married Raju Medara from Jamakhandi. Ratnavva was reportedly suffering from severe headache since the last three months and treatments obtained from hospital had not given her any relief. Ratnavva had left her home in Jamakhandi, duly lying to her husband that she would be visiting her parents. Instead of going to her home, she arrived at Dharwad on Tuesday evening and tried to end life at about 11.50 pm the same night. Ratnavva clarified to the journalists who met her that her only problem was unbearable headache and nothing else.

Ex-serviceman Basanagouda Patil, who was nearby, heard shouts from the lake and moved swiftly to save those facing peril. Although he could save the woman and her children, the third child could not be traced. Fire brigade personnel and divers who were pressed into service on Wednesday found the body of the girl.

Ratnavva is being treated at the district hospital here now.