Five drown in 3 districts on day of Ugadi, say officials

Authorities have urged caution near water bodies, especially during festive gatherings, to prevent such tragedies in the future

The festive spirit of Ugadi festival was marred by tragedy as five individuals lost their lives to drowning in separate incidents across the state, officials confirmed on Monday.

Five drown in 3 districts on day of Ugadi, say officials

In Bagalkot district, three teenage boys from Seethimani village in Bagalkot taluk drowned in the Krishna River while swimming. The victims have been identified as Somasekhara Devaramani (15), Paranagouda Beelagi (17), and Mallappa Bagali (16). Search teams recovered Somasekhara’s body on Sunday, while efforts continue to retrieve the other two.

Local firefighters, along with police and villagers, have been engaged in search operations in the river. “The incident occurred around 3pm on Sunday when the boys entered the Krishna River for a swim,” said Police Inspector Sharana Basappa. “Efforts to retrieve the bodies have been ongoing since Monday evening and will continue into Tuesday morning. More than 12 swimmers are involved in the search. We have registered a case,” he added.

Authorities, including the Bagalkot Rural Police, have been deployed at the site to oversee the situation and initiate necessary actions. The local community is in mourning over the loss of three young lives during what should have been a festive occasion.

In a separate incident, a 20-year-old man, Kiran, from Jigalagodu village in Thirthahalli taluk, drowned in the Tunga River near Thirthahalli in Shivamogga district on Sunday. Kiran had gone swimming with three friends but was unable to stay afloat and drowned.

Authorities have urged caution near water bodies, especially during festive gatherings, to prevent such tragedies in the future.