Raichur: A tragic incident occurred near Mantralayam on Saturday, May 30, evening when five people were swept away while swimming in the Tungabhadra River after attending a family religious function. The incident has sent shockwaves through the region and left the victims’ families in deep grief.
According to police, the victims have been identified as Yuvana Chandra and Satish (35) from Hyderabad, Raghavendra (25) and Dhanush (23) from Mantralayam village, and Sandhya (22) from Uravakonda. The group had gathered at a relative’s house in Mantralayam to participate in a Satyanarayana Puja.
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After the religious ceremony concluded, a few members of the family decided to visit the Tungabhadra River. Police said the group entered the river for a swim without fully understanding the depth and flow of the water. Within moments, they were caught in deeper waters and were swept away by the strong current.
A young woman, Aparna, who had also entered the river, narrowly escaped and was rescued. Her survival has provided investigators with crucial details about the sequence of events leading to the tragedy.
As soon as information about the incident reached authorities, teams from the police department, local administration and experienced fishermen rushed to the spot and launched a large-scale search and rescue operation. After several hours of searching, rescuers recovered the body of Dhanush from the river. Efforts are continuing to trace the remaining four missing persons.
The incident has drawn a large crowd of anxious relatives and local residents to the riverbank. Family members of the victims were seen breaking down in tears as rescue teams continued their search operations.
Emmiganur Deputy Superintendent of Police Bhargavi visited the spot and reviewed the rescue efforts. Officials said additional personnel have been deployed to intensify the search operation along the river stretch.
In a further twist, rescue teams searching for the missing persons also discovered the body of an unidentified individual in the river. Authorities have launched a separate investigation to establish the identity of the deceased and determine the circumstances surrounding the death.
Police have registered two separate cases at the Mantralayam Police Station and have begun a detailed inquiry into the incident. Officials have once again urged visitors and pilgrims to exercise caution while entering rivers and water bodies, especially during periods when water levels and currents can change unexpectedly.
The search for the remaining victims continued till late evening, with authorities expressing hope that all missing persons would be located soon.
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