Udupi: A 15-year-old student drowned in the pond of the Sri Lakshmi Venkataramana Temple at Tenkapete in Udupi on Tuesday afternoon. The boy, identified as Aditya Nayak, had reportedly entered the temple pond while devotees were bathing and swimming as part of a bhajana programme.
Aditya was visiting the temple with a relative when the incident occurred. He reportedly entered the water along with other devotees but drowned while swimming in the middle of the pond.
Despite an immediate search and rescue effort, the teenager could not be saved.
Student drowns while swimming
According to the report, Aditya Nayak, son of Krishna Nayak of Bellampalli Kukkikatte, had visited the temple along with a relative during a bhajana programme.
As devotees entered the temple pond to bathe and swim as part of the programme, Aditya also entered the water.
The relative who accompanied him did not enter the pond because he could not swim.
Aditya reportedly moved towards the middle of the pond while swimming. He then suddenly drowned and disappeared beneath the water.
Temple authorities launch search operation
After Aditya went missing in the pond, temple authorities immediately alerted diver Eshwar Malpe, who reached the location and began a search operation.
The search continued for nearly an hour as efforts were made to locate the teenager in the pond.
Eventually, Aditya was found and pulled out of the water.
He was in a critical condition when he was brought out of the pond.
Teenager rushed to hospital
Following the rescue, Aditya was immediately taken to a private hospital in Udupi.
Doctors examined the teenager after he was brought to the hospital but declared him dead.
The incident has left the boy’s family and those present at the temple programme in shock.
Police begin inquiry
Following the incident, Udupi Town Police visited the temple and began an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the drowning.
Police are expected to examine the sequence of events leading up to the incident, including how the teenager entered the pond and the rescue efforts that followed.
Further details are awaited as the inquiry continues.
Temple pond safety concerns
The incident has once again highlighted the risks associated with swimming or bathing in temple ponds, particularly when large numbers of devotees enter the water during religious programmes.
Temple ponds can vary considerably in depth, and underwater conditions may not always be immediately visible to those entering the water.
For children and teenagers, the risks can be particularly serious if they enter deeper areas without adequate swimming skills or supervision.
Importance of supervision near water bodies
The Udupi incident also underscores the importance of adult supervision when children and teenagers are near ponds and other water bodies.
Even confident swimmers can face difficulties when swimming in unfamiliar water.
Safety measures such as restricting access to deeper sections, providing trained personnel during large gatherings and clearly marking dangerous areas can help reduce the risk of such incidents.
A tragic end to a temple visit
What began as a visit to a temple during a religious programme ended in tragedy for Aditya Nayak’s family.
The teenager had reportedly entered the pond along with devotees before suddenly drowning while swimming.
Although a diver was alerted quickly and a search operation was launched, the teenager could not be revived after being taken to hospital.
Conclusion
A 15-year-old student drowned in the pond of Sri Lakshmi Venkataramana Temple at Tenkapete in Udupi on Tuesday afternoon. The deceased was identified as Aditya Nayak, who had visited the temple with a relative during a bhajana programme.
Aditya reportedly entered the pond along with devotees who were bathing and swimming. He drowned while swimming in the middle of the pond and went missing.
Temple authorities alerted diver Eshwar Malpe, who began a search operation. After nearly an hour, the teenager was pulled out and rushed to a private hospital, where doctors declared him dead. Udupi Town Police have begun an inquiry into the incident.