Daijiworld Media Network - Bantwal (SP)

Bantwal, Jan 25: Three teenagers and a 12 year-old boy drowned in River Netravati near the Tumbe dam on the evening of Sunday January 24. The victims of the tragic incident are, Shruti (16), and Saumya (14), children of Keshav Gatty from Manjalpade, Sandesh (17), son of Shekhar Gatty from Pilar in Someshwar village, and Navin (12), son of Kumble Narayan Gatty.

All the ill-fated youngsters had come to attend the birthday celebrations of Suraj Gatty, son of Keshav Gatty. The incident occurred when they ventured into the downstream of Tumbe dam. Reportedly, some passersby had warned the children not to approach the river. Luckily for Suraj (13), Keshav Gatty, who had come there to start the pump of the dam, jumped into the river and rescued him.

People rushed to the spot on getting information of the tragedy. Divers as well as fire brigade personnel were pressed into service. The body of Sandesh was retrieved late evening on Sunday. The search party used robber boats and search lights to look for the bodies of the drowned children. Former zilla panchayat president, B Sadanand Punja, former MLA,  K Padmanabh Kottary and various other leaders visited the spot and guided the operations.