Daijiworld Media Network – Kundapur

Kundapur, Sept 20: The body of a 17-year-old college student who went missing after leaving college on Thursday evening was found on Saturday morning along the banks of the Dakuhittu River in Gangolli, bringing a tragic end to an intense two-day search operation.

The deceased, Namesh Poojary, a first-year PUC student at a private college, was a resident of Santosh Nagar, Hemmadi, and the son of Lavesh Poojary.

According to sources, Namesh had left for college on Thursday but failed to return home that evening. In a detail that has puzzled investigators, he reportedly left his recently gifted iPhone at home and rode off on his motorbike, which was later found abandoned near the Kannadakudru riverbank, along with his college bag.

Family raised alarm, search intensified

As night fell and Namesh still hadn’t returned, the worried family registered a missing persons complaint at the Kundapura Town police station. Search efforts were promptly launched but yielded no results on Thursday.

On Friday, the operation intensified, involving local residents, members of the fire and emergency services, and noted Gangolli swimmer Dinesh Kharvi, who combed the waters and banks of the Kannadakudru River until late in the evening.

Tragically, on Saturday morning, Namesh’s lifeless body was discovered along the Dakuhittu Riverbank, around Gangolli.

Mystery surrounds cause of death

The exact cause of death remains unknown. Police have launched an investigation and stated that “the real reason behind the tragedy will be clear only after a thorough inquiry”.

The incident has cast a pall of gloom over the community, with many questioning the circumstances leading up to the student’s death. Whether it was accidental, intentional, or involved foul play remains to be determined.