Daijiworld Media Network - Puttur (SP)

Puttur, Nov 23: An engineering student, Hemanth, drowned in River Kumaradhara when he went there to bathe on Wednesday November 22. The tragedy happened at Koodamara near Katara in Bellippady village between Puttur and Uppinangady.

The victim was the son of Parameshwar Nayak from Shivamogga. He was a student of an engineering college in the town and stayed in paying guest accommodation here.

Hemanth was accompanied to the river by collegemates, Shreyas, Mokshit Kumar, Avinash and Muhammed Irshad. The friends arrived at Koodamara at about 5 pm on Wednesday and went into the river to bathe. At the same time, Hemanth suddenly got caught in a whirlpool, it is said. As he did not know how to swim, he could not save himself, it is said.

The other boys immediately alerted people living nearby. Fire brigade personnel from here, who were alerted, rushed to the spot. Under the guidance of the police inspector from the town, Mahesh Prasad, sub-inspector, Omana and other staff reached the spot. Search for the student's body continued late into the night.