Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Sep 5: The three students of an engineering college at Valachil near here, who drowned in River Netravati at Innoli Padavu, as well as their five friends had ignored warning given by the boatman. It is learnt that Samad, who was the boatman of the ferry boat the student took at Arkula to reach Innoli, had warned them against entering the river as water level was high. The place where the tragedy occurred is very deep and there is lot of accumulation of silt there.

Vikhil and Sri Ram were staying in paying guest accommodation while Shubham Raj was in college hostel. Five other fifth semester students of the college who had accompanied the trio, identified as Rohith (21) from Belagavi, his brother, Abhijay (20), Vikhyath (21) from Madoor Beeri in the taluk, Indresh (20) from Sullia Guthigar and Royson Goveas from Sullia Beeramangala, had providential escape.

Innnoli Padavu is located on the other side of the river to the south of Valachil. One has to cross River Netravati to reach Lord Somanatha temple at Devandabetta, Innoli Padavu. It is gathered that when the students reached Innoli, they were hungry but found that they were short of money to buy food. They also faced shortage of drinking water. As they had to walk long distance to reach the temple, they dropped the idea and played in river for about an hour and then sat on a boulder on the riverbank.

When the students decided to go back at around 1.30 pm, Sri Ram, when getting up from where he was sitting, slipped from the boulder because of growth of algae. When he fell into the river, Vikhil came running and tried to lift Sri Ram by pulling at his hand. Shubham also rushed to their rescue but because of force of water, all the three were washed away. Rohith, Abhijay and Vikhayat, who too got involved with rescue act, survived as they knew how to swim.

After locals failed to locate bodies of the drowned students, police control room was informed. The control room contacted rural and Konaje police stations here. By 3.15 pm, fire brigades at Pandeshwar and Bantwal got information and firemen rushed to the spot. The firemen, supported by expert divers from Pavoor-Harekala, Sahil Maripalla, Imran Arkula, Asif, Araf, Tauseef Baitar etc, and with the cooperation of some sand mining workers from Uttar Pradesh, conducted search and found the bodies by 6.30 pm.

Assistant commissioner of police, Rama Rao, Konaje inspector, Muhammed Shariff, police sub-inspector, Sukumar, inspector of rural station, Shivaprakash, sub-inspectors, Sudhakar and Vekatesh and other staff got involved with the operation. Taluk panchayat president, Muhammed Monu, too visited the spot.

It is learnt that Vikhi was the only son of his parents and he is survived by two sisters. Vikhil was a brilliant student having scored 76 percent marks in previous semester examination. Shubham Raj has left behind a younger sister, while Sri Ram is survived by an elder sister.