Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SP)

Udupi, May 10: Two members of a four-member survey team that was on work at Herga village faced the risk of drowning. One of them was saved by villagers, while the other, who tried to swim across the river to the other bank, drowned.

The team had reached the spot on the other side of River Swarna at the estuary located near Goddess Durgaparameshwari temple on Monday afternoon to undertake land measurement work.

The team, belonging to a private survey company from Mangaluru, had come here to undertake survey of a land owned by Manipal University at Herga. The deceased has been identified as Sandeep Kulal (21) from Kinnigoli. Another team member, Uday Poojary, tried hard to save Kulal. He succeeded in reaching the other bank, but faced peril as he tried to rescue his colleague again. Some workers involved with sand mining rushed to rescue him and succeeded.

Although a boat service is run by a boatman there normally, on Monday, the service was not available on account of the marriage function of the boatman's son. Fire brigade personnel from the town later undertook searches but failed to find Sandeep's body.

Manipal University estate manager, Jaivittal, Manipal police station house officer, Girish, and Shylesh, visited the spot.