Silvester D’Souza
Daijiworld Media Network - Kundapur
Kundapur, Sep 25: In a tragic incident, two class 9 students drowned while swimming in a pond on Tuesday September 24 evening.
The victims have been identified as Nagendra (13), son of Krishna Devadiga, a daily wage labourer from Yedthare village in Byndoor taluk, and Shanu Mohammad Shafan (13), son of Shanu Shalian, a resident near Byndoor railway station, who works as a building material supplier.
Both students were in class 9 at Byndoor government high school. After finishing their English exam at school on Tuesday, they returned home for lunch and later decided to go swimming. At around 4 pm, Nagendra went to Shanu Mohammad Shafan's house, and together they went to swim in a pond located behind the Seneshwara Temple in Byndoor.
When the boys failed to return home by nightfall, family members began searching the pond area. They found a bicycle, clothes, and two pairs of slippers near the pond. A search was then conducted, and on Wednesday morning, Shanu Mohammad Shafan's body was recovered at around 1:30 am, followed by Nagendra's body at 2:25 am.
The pond, known as Kerekatte, is about 40 feet deep in the center and 10-20 feet deep around the edges. Locals often visit the pond for swimming, but due to rain on Tuesday, no one had come to swim. It is believed that both boys, who were not strong swimmers, drowned.
The bodies have been kept at the Byndoor Community Health Center, and a case has been registered at the Byndoor police station.