Karkala: Two young men drowned while swimming in the Swarna River at Hermunde in Hirgana village of Karkala taluk on Tuesday, September 29. The victims had reportedly gone to the river with friends during a holiday when they entered deeper waters and drowned.
The deceased were identified as Bharat Poojary, 29, and Harshaan Acharya, 23, both residents of Hirgana village. The incident occurred in the afternoon and prompted a difficult rescue operation involving fire service personnel and local residents.
Friends had gone for a swim
According to the report, Bharat and Harshaan had a day off from work on Tuesday and went to the river with three other friends.
The group reportedly walked around two kilometres from Mangilaru in Hirgana along a rugged path to reach the river at Hermunde. They entered the water to bathe and swim.
During the outing, Bharat and Harshaan reportedly ventured into deeper water. They were unable to swim back to safety and drowned.
The incident left the accompanying friends and local residents shocked, with efforts subsequently launched to locate the two youths in the river.
Rescue teams face difficult terrain
The location of the incident posed an additional challenge for the rescue personnel. There was reportedly no motorable road directly connecting the site, forcing fire service personnel to walk several kilometres while carrying their rescue equipment.
Fire and Emergency Services personnel had to trek around three kilometres on foot to reach the spot, according to the report.
By the time the rescue team reached the river, the bodies of the two youths were reportedly submerged deep underwater.
A team led by Fire Station Officer Sanjeev Devadiga, with assistance from local residents, began efforts to recover the bodies. The operation continued for more than three hours before the bodies were brought out of the water.
Bodies recovered after prolonged operation
Fire service personnel involved in the operation included Roopesh, Suresh, Nithyananda, Dinesh and Muzammil, along with driver Shivananda.
The rescue operation involved continuous efforts to locate and retrieve the bodies from the river. Local residents also assisted the fire personnel during the operation.
A separate report said Fire and Emergency Services personnel used rescue equipment including ropes and life jackets, with a drone also involved in the search operation. It reported that the bodies were recovered around 6 pm and shifted to the Government Hospital in Karkala for post-mortem examination.
Bharat was building his dream home
The death of Bharat Poojary has particularly affected his family and local community.
Bharat worked as a painter and was reportedly supporting his family through his occupation. He had also begun constructing his own house and had reached the slab stage of construction.
According to the local report, Bharat had been planning to complete the house and hold a house-warming ceremony in the coming months.
His sudden death has now left those plans unfinished and his family facing the loss of a young working member.
Incident highlights risks of swimming in natural water bodies
The incident has once again highlighted the risks associated with swimming in rivers and other natural water bodies.
Unlike swimming pools, rivers can have sudden changes in depth, underwater currents, uneven surfaces and other hazards that may not be visible from the shore. A seemingly safe area can also become dangerous when swimmers move into deeper sections.
In this case, the youths reportedly entered deeper waters while swimming with friends. The exact circumstances leading to the drowning are part of the authorities’ procedural investigation.
Police and authorities begin formalities
The bodies were shifted to the Government Hospital in Karkala for post-mortem examination.
Police and other authorities are expected to complete the necessary legal and procedural formalities following the deaths.
A separate report quoted Udupi Superintendent of Police Hariram Shankar as saying that four friends had gone swimming in the river at around 2.30 pm. That report identified the deceased as Harshan, 21, and Bharath, 29, while stating that two other friends were rescued safely. The local report gives Harshaan Acharya’s age as 23.
Tragic end to a holiday outing
What began as a holiday outing for a group of friends ended in tragedy after two of them drowned in the Swarna River.
The difficult terrain around the incident site further complicated the rescue operation, requiring fire service personnel to carry equipment on foot before beginning the search.
The incident serves as a reminder of the dangers of entering unfamiliar stretches of rivers, particularly areas with deeper water and difficult access.