Daijiworld Media Network - Kundapur

Kundapur, Sep 23: A 37-year-old man reportedly committed suicide by jumping into the Kotiteertha Pushkarini (temple pond) in Koteshwara on Tuesday night. His body was recovered from the water on Wednesday morning.

The deceased has been identified as Padmanabha Acharya, son of Mahabala Acharya and a resident of Hodrali Kolanakatte near Koteshwara.

According to sources, Padmanabha was previously employed at a tile factory in Kundapur but had been unemployed for the past four months. He left home on Tuesday morning and failed to return by nightfall. His two-wheeler was later found parked near the temple. Despite a search by his family members, his whereabouts remained unknown.

Suspicions that he might have jumped into the water arose when his slippers and cap were found on the eastern steps of the Kotiteertha pond, prompting a search operation on Wednesday morning.

Locals who regularly swim in the pond, including Markodu Sudheer Kumar Shetty, Prabhakar Shetty, and Satyanarayana Manja, initiated a search using a boat and located the body in the water around 9 am. Diving expert Eshwar Malpe and his team arrived at the scene concurrently and, with the assistance of the local swimmers, retrieved the body from the pond.

The mortal remains have been shifted to the Kundapur Government Hospital for a post-mortem examination.

The exact reason behind the extreme step is yet to be ascertained. Kundapur police visited the spot, conducted an inspection, and have registered a case.

Suicide is not a solution to any problem. Kindly seek the help of mental health experts if you are under any kind of distress. Call toll free helpline number 9152987821.