Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SP)

Mangalore, Nov 3: Sesappa Nayak (40) from Ujire, who was engaged in sand mining from River Netravati, drowned after the boat loaded with sand in which he was travelling, capsized on Wednesday November 2 afternoon near Arkula. The boat was returning to Arkula after loading sand at Pavoor Innoli near the city at around 3 pm.

Keshava from Ujire, Ravinder, Binod and Sugreev, all from Uttar Pradesh, also fell into the river in the accident. All the four managed to swim to the shore safely. Reportedly, Nayak did not know how to swim. It is learnt that strong wind and heavy rain caused the boat to lose balance and dangerously tilt to one side.

Sesappa Nayak worked as sand loader along with Keshava, also from Ujire. Both of them used to function as loaders for trucks, and as they had free time on Wednesday, had opted to work as sand loaders. They had boarded the boat at Arkula, and had returned by the same boat as rain had started pouring by the time the boat was loaded at Innoli. The other three used to transport sand.

Although the locals and fire brigade personnel launched a search operation for Nayak, they failed to find him out.

Thereafter, confusion prevailed over jurisdiction about the registration of the case between Konaje and Mangalore rural police stations. After MLA, U T Khader, contacted the police top brass in Bangalore over phone, Mangalore rural police agreed to register the case. The MLA has urged the district administration to disburse compensation to the family of Nayak from out of natural calamity fund.