Mangaluru, August 10: Two youths drowned in a quarry filled with rain water at Muloor Bavaliguri in Bantwal taluk falling under Bantwal rural police jurisdiction on Sunday August 9th.
The deceased have been identified as Deekshith(18) son of Janardhan and Jayaprakash (23), son of Umesh, residents of Maji in Boliyaru village. Shekar (24), Santosh(22), Sudesh(20), and Akshay (19), have survived in this incident and all are local residents. They are being treated in Deralakatte hospital.
The police informed that this incident had occurred at around 2 pm on Sunday.
A group of six youths had been to the quarry to swim. Jayaprakash and Janardhan were swimming deep under the water. The depth of the quarry was 15 to 20 feet, informed the revenue officials.
About 15 years ago, this quarry was being operated illegally in government land in
Bavaliguri at Sajipapadu village, near Muluru of Cheluru. The revenue officials on bowing to the pressure of the public’s had stopped the operations of the quarry. The revenue officials have informed that the KIADB was directed to close the quarry pit where water was getting collected. It is alleged that the negligence of the firm is responsible for the incident. The police have said that a case would be registered.
The youths who survived in this incident said that they used to visit this spot on every Sundays to play here. Though they had knowledge that the quarry was deep, the friends went there. As all were swimming, Jayaprakash and Deekshith moved to the bottom to swim. As their legs got stuck in the silt collected at the bottom, they could not come up, said the other youths.
Three years ago, orders were passed through the officials from the district administration, taluk administration and taluk panchayats to close this open quarry. The government had also passed strict orders, and a revolution had taken place on this across the state. On this account throughout the district, open pits and wells were closed. But the locals alleged that the concerned gram panchayat has not shown any interest to fill this quarry pit.
Circle Inspector KU Belliappa, Tahsildhar Purandara Hegde, Sub Inspector Rakshith Kumar, revenue inspector Narayana Poojary, village accountant Basavaraj Sanadi, Jyotibai, Raju Lambani, and Thaufeeq visited the spot of incident and inspected.
The police taking the help of the locals retrieved the body of the deceased which was stuck in silt, immediately shifted the rest four youths to the hospital. The doctors have said that they are out of danger.
Suitable legal actions will be taken against the non closure of the quarry pit. Directions were given to the concerned on this. In addition, public notice is also given. But the concerned had not taken any initiatives to close this pit. The pit will be permanently closed, said Tahsildhar Purandara Hegde.
