Bantwal: A 75-year-old man who had been missing for the past three days was found alive in a critical condition inside a drainage channel at Kukkila in Vitla Padur village of Bantwal taluk on Friday morning. The elderly man was rescued by local residents and volunteers after an extensive search operation and was rushed to hospital, where he is now reported to be out of danger.
The rescued man has been identified as Giriyappa Sapalya (75), a resident of Kukkila in Vitla Padur village. His disappearance had prompted an intensive search involving police, fire personnel, volunteers and local residents.
Family lodged missing complaint
According to sources, Giriyappa Sapalya had gone missing under unexplained circumstances three days ago. Concerned over his disappearance, family members searched for him but were unable to trace his whereabouts.
They later lodged a missing person complaint at the Vittal Police Station, following which efforts were initiated to locate the elderly man.
The Fire and Emergency Services Department was also alerted, and rescue personnel began searching nearby ponds, streams and other water bodies, fearing that he might have accidentally fallen into one of them.
Despite continuous efforts, the initial search operation did not yield any results, leaving family members increasingly anxious.
Fresh search leads to rescue
Determined not to abandon the search, relatives, members of the Kodapadavu Maruti Friends team and local residents organised another search operation on Friday morning.
Their efforts proved successful when Giriyappa was found lying inside a water drainage channel passing through an arecanut plantation at Kukkila. He was in a severely weakened and life-threatening condition after apparently remaining stranded there for several days.
Volunteers and residents immediately rushed to the spot and carefully pulled him out of the drainage channel.
First aid administered before hospitalisation
After rescuing the elderly man, those at the scene administered first aid before shifting him to the Government Hospital in Vittal for emergency medical treatment.
Doctors at the hospital immediately began treatment. According to hospital sources, Giriyappa responded well to medical care and his condition gradually stabilised.
He has since been declared out of danger, bringing immense relief to his family members, volunteers and everyone involved in the search operation.
The successful rescue also highlighted the importance of community participation during emergency situations, with local residents continuing the search even after the initial operation ended without success.
Volunteers and residents played key role
The rescue operation was spearheaded by Manohar of the Kodapadavu Maruti Friends team, who coordinated the fresh search effort.
Among those who actively participated were Madhava Mave, district BJP spokesperson; Aravinda Rai, president of the Mani Mahashakti Kendra; Umesh Shetty, president of the Raitha Morcha; and volunteers Seetharama Gowda, Murali Bhat and Manohar Kukkila.
Several local residents also joined the search, covering plantations and surrounding areas before finally locating the missing man in the drainage channel.
The coordinated efforts of volunteers, community members and emergency responders ultimately saved the life of the elderly man after three days of uncertainty. His recovery has brought relief to his family and stands as an example of how collective community action can make a crucial difference during emergencies.