Three Bengaluru youths drown in Hemavathi reservoir backwaters in Hassan

Three young men from Bengaluru drowned on Sunday in the backwaters of the Hemavathi reservoir near the historic Shettihalli Church in Hassan district. The tragic incident occurred while the group was returning to the city from a trip to Dharmasthala.

The deceased have been identified as Charan, aged 20, Milan, aged 23, and Manikantha, aged 20. All three victims were residents of Bengaluru, according to the local police.

The three youths were part of a larger group of 10 friends who had travelled to Dharmasthala to offer prayers at the Shri Manjunatha Swamy Temple. On their return journey back to Bengaluru, the group decided to stop near the Shettihalli Church, which is located at Gorur in Hassan taluk.

During the stop, some of the youths in the group decided to enter the reservoir's backwaters for a swim. Preliminary inquiries conducted by the police revealed that the youths ventured into the water without having any knowledge of its actual depth. Additionally, the police stated that the victims allegedly did not know how to swim.

As Charan, Milan, and Manikantha began to struggle and drown in the water, their friends who remained on the shore raised an alarm to get help. However, because the surrounding area was relatively isolated, there was no immediate assistance available to rescue the drowning youths.

Upon being informed of the emergency, personnel from the Gorur Police Station and the Fire and Emergency Services quickly rushed to the reservoir site. They initiated a search and rescue operation with the assistance of local swimmers. The search team eventually retrieved the bodies of the three young men from the water.

The Gorur Police have registered a case concerning the drowning incident, and a further investigation into the matter is currently underway.