Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (EP)

Udupi, May 30: A concrete slab of dam constructed across the river to stop flow of salt water thirty years ago fell down in the river on Sunday afternoon, May 29. Three school children crossing the river fell down as a result. Though two children swam and came up to safety, one of them died in the incident.

The incident occurred at Kokrane Hale Kudru of Hejmadi grama. The piece of slab fell on Rianna Furtado (7) and she died out of suffocation unable to come up. Rianna was the daughter of Kokrani residents Herald Furtado and Lavina. Rianna's elder brother Airon Furtado (10) and relative Anish D' Silva (11) are the ones who could come up and save themselves. Rianna was a third standard student of Mulki Kilpadi's Bethany school.

Even children and adults carrying loads on their heads from Kokrani island across the river use this way on a daily basis. Though Sunday is a holiday, children had come for a stroll picking fallen coconuts when the tragedy had stuck. Airon who had come up informed his mother on the mobile phone. The locals who were on the country boat crossing the river rushed to the place of the incident hearing the screams of the boys and lifted the girl. However the girl had died by then. Rianna had come back after going for mass with her parents in the morning.

Udupi district in charge minister Vinay Kumar Sorake visited the place and called Kaup revenue inspector and other department engineers. He has asked to reconstruct the road immediately.

Local leader Lidia Furtado, former taluk panchayat member Sachin Nayak, grama panchayat president Vishalakshi Putran, vice president Sudhakar Karkera, taluk panchayat member Renuka Putran asked for compensation for the child. Minister Sorake has assured that maximum compensation will be paid to the parents.

Padubidri police station have registered a case. Investigation is in progress.