Mounesh Vishwakarma
Daijiworld Media Network - Bantwal
Bantwal, May 21: In a tragic incident, two brothers drowned in Netravati river at Padu near Farangipete here on Thursday May 21.
The deceased have been identified as Suhail (12) and Sahil (15), sons of Isaak, a resident of Sujeer in Padu village.
It is learnt that the brothers along with a group of 10-12 boys played cricket at a ground in Sujeer, and later went to the river for a bath. While in the water, Suhail got stuck in a hole in the river bed and immediately his brother Sahil rushed to his rescue. However, both got pulled in by the currents and drowned. The tide was high in the evening, it is learnt.
Suhail was a student of sixth standard in Holy Family school, Meramajal, while his brother was studying in 9th standard in the same school.
The bodies were taken to Thumbay hospital and later shifted to Wenlock hospital for post-mortem.
Sources said that the boys' father Isaak lives in Dubai and his family back home is poor. Suhail and Sahil were the eldest two among Isaak's three sons and a daughter. Isaaq has already left for Mangaluru, sources said.
The locals said that illegal sand mining had created large depressions, and blamed this as the cause for the tragic incident. They expressed their ire at the sand mafia and said that while mining, the JCB used in the task leaves large depressions on the banks of the river. They demanded that the mines department and the district administration take serious note of this problem and take adequate measures.
Bantwal rural police have registered a case.