Daijiworld Media Network - Madikeri (SP)

Madikeri, Aug 18: In a tragic incident which occurred at Chelavara waterfall near Napoklu in Kodagu district on Monday August 17, a youth who was trying to click a selfie photograph with the waterfall in the background, slipped and fell into the waterfall. He drowned instantly.

Shivaprasad alias Pradeep (26), a resident of Nehru Nagar in Virajpet near here was the unfortunate victim of this incident. Pradeep was part of a six-member group which went to visit this waterfall. Pradeep, who was enthusiastically taking his photograph, failed to notice the danger, slipped, and fell into the waterfall that is in full flow because of rains in the areas around it. It is gathered that he was married recently.

Locals as well as expert divers began scouting for the youth in the water since Monday morning. As the force and quantum of water is considerable, fire brigade personnel were summoned from the town. The body of the victim could be retrieved by Monday afternoon, after boats and other equipment were put into service. Later, the body was handed over to the relatives after postmortem was conducted at the community health centre, Napoklu.

The body had gone deep down the 35-feet pit at the bottom of the waterfall, firemen said. Assistant police sub-inspector, Belliappa and staff visited the spot and registered a case of unnatural death.