A youth and a man lost their lives to drowning in a lake at Chikkamanshi Hosur village in Hanagal taluk on Monday. The victims were identified as Malatesh Kurubar (19) and Basavaraj (38).

As per police reports, Malatesh had entered the lake for a swim but began to struggle in the water. Basavaraj, witnessing the distress, jumped in to save him. Tragically, both were overwhelmed by the deep water and drowned before help could arrive.

Local authorities, including firefighters, rushed to the spot upon being alerted. They were able to recover Malatesh’s body, while search efforts continued for Basavaraj. The case falls under the Hanagal police station limits, and an investigation is ongoing.

The incident has cast a shadow of grief over the village, highlighting the dangers of unsupervised swimming in rural water bodies and the risks involved in rescue attempts without safety support.