Mangalore: Thumbe Water Tragedy - Dreams of 'Four Victims' Drown in Netravati
from Melka Miyar
for Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (GA)
Pics by Dayanand Kukkaje
Mangalore, May 19: The death of four youngsters including 3 women in a drowning tragedy at Sajipa Nadu near Thumbe here has come as a rude shock not only to the family members of the drowned but even to those who studied with them and those who knew them. Each of the victim hailed either from poor or middle-class families and had begun their 9-month-long beautician course in an institute here only a few weeks ago with loads of dreams.
Shaila and Jyoti
But all their dreams sank in Netravati river along with them when a strong and sudden current resulted in their death on Friday afternoon. As reported earlier, a total of 20 students pursuing a beautician's course in an institute at Falnir here had gone for picnic to Sajipa.
The sources said that they had changed their vehicle at Farangipet and hired another vehicle and moved towards Sajipa Nadu where an old house of their course coordinator is situated. All of them had gone on a picnic and had even planned to have their lunch there itself. They had crossed the river on a ferry boat with the help of a local named Mohammad.
It is said that it was here that two of them stayed back to cook while the others got into the river to have fun. They had not even moved about 15 feet from the bank when the tragedy struck. As they were walking, three of the girls suddenly got into the deep waters. Seeing them getting drowned, Dilip, a resident of Idya near Suratkal who was one of the workers of the institute and had accompanied them tried to rescue them. But he too drowned in the process.
The deceased have been identified as Marina Lobo of Valachil Padavu near Neermarga, Jyoti Monteiro of Kulur, Shaila D'Souza of Ullal Hoige and Dilip from Idya near Suratkal.
Jyoti Monteiro (20) was the only daughter of Estephin and Lancy Monteiro of Balli House at Kulur. Their house is situated just behind St Anthony's Church Kulur. Her parents are engaged in fishing to earn their livelihood. She hailed from a poor family. It is said that she had 3 other siblings who died some years ago. So she was the only surviving child of Esthephin and Lancy. She was earlier working in a glove-manufacturing factory at Baikampady after completing her SSLC and it was only 2 months ago that she had joined this institute.
Marina Lobo was the daughter of Michael Lobo of Valachil Padavu. She too had joined the institute recently.
Shaila D'Souza (19) was the daughter of Benedicta and Celine D'Souza of Ullal Hoige. She had failed in SSLC and had joined this institute just 3 weeks ago. Her sister Savila D'Souza is studying in I PUC while her younger brother James is a SSLC student. She had informed her parents that it was a nine-month course wherein they were provided accommodation by the institute. Just like Marina and Jyoti, she used to come home on Saturdays and returning on Mondays.
Dilip was a resident of Idya in Suratkal and was working in the said institute.
All these youngsters might have had loads of dreams about their future. Even their families had lots of hope about them. They hailed from economically-poor families. But with their tragic death everything has come to a standstill. Not only their families but even their friends, relatives and near and dear ones are yet to come out of the shock they have received.
Earlier BREAKING NEWS with pictures on Daijiworld: