Mounesh Vishwarkarma
Daijiworld Media Network - Bantwal (SP)

Bantwal, Mar 25: Sharat Kumar (45) from Sajipamunnur village in the taluk, who was a farmer leader and leading consumer awareness activist, lost his life when taking bath in River Netravati. The tragedy happened when Sharat had entered the river near Nandavar temple on Saturday March 24 morning.

It is suspected that Sharat might have slipped and drowned in the river. A case of unnatural death was registered in the town police station here about this incident. The deceased is survived by wife and a son.

Sharat was the taluk president of Karnataka Rajya Raita Sangha and was leading the fight of Thumbe vented dam affected people, anti-Yettinahole agitation and other local organizations. He also was an RTI activist and leader of Power Consumers Movement.

Sharat had made it a habit to leave his home early in the morning, have bath in the river, visit the temple, and then return home. On Saturday, he left home at 6.30 am but did not return even after long gap. Concerned over this, his family alerted the police. The police, during search, found m bike and footwear kept on the riverbank. Thereafter, divers searched in the river and recovered Sharat's body. Doctors at the government hospital here confirmed that he was dead, and it is suspected that he would have lost his life after slipping and banging his head against a rock in the river.