Daijiworld Media Network - Sullia (SP)

Sullia, Dec 15: A young man who approached River Kumaradhara for enjoyment at Panjibade near Kulkunda, Subrahmanya, drowned late evening on Wednesday December 13. The victim has been identified as Jayaprakash (18), son of Ganesh from Kayarthadka, Kombaru village.

Ganesh had come near the river on Wednesday afternoon along with friends, Mithun, Sathish, Guruprasad, Praveen and Anil Kumar. All of them visited Goddess Chowdamma temple at the district border at Bisile and offered puja there. They returned to Panjibade and began to play in the water, it is said.

After cooking food by the side of the river at Panjibade, they had lunch. After lunch, Jayaprakash went into the river to bathe. Without realizing that there were very deep pockets in the river, he went forward and soon drowned. The friends who realized that he did not return even after a long time, conveyed the information to Subrahmanya police station.

Although Subrahmanya police and fire brigade arrived at the spot later, they faced problems in launching operations because of the thick forest, pitch dark conditions, lack of lighting facility and menace of wild elephants. They resumed search operations on Thursday morning. Firemen, operating with the help of seven expert divers from Gundia, succeeded in retrieving the body of the youth on Thursday.

In the meanwhile, family members of Jayaprakash have expressed suspicion about his death. They pointed out that there were injury marks on nose and other parts of his face and that blood was oozing out of his genitals even though the youth was wearing underwear. A complaint filed by them at Subrahmanya station claims that Jayaprakash was beaten up and murdered.