Ankola: In Shirur, Karnataka, the lorry belonging to Arjun, a resident of Kannadikode, Kozhikode, who went missing during a landslide, has been recovered from the Gangavali River. Additionally, a body believed to be Arjun’s has been found in the cabin of the lorry, although this has not yet been confirmed.
The lorry and the body were discovered by the rescue team after 71 days of Arjun being missing. The lorry was confirmed to have been driven by Arjun, according to the owner, Manaaf.
Despite two months passing since the accident, there had been no information about Arjun’s whereabouts. His family in Kozhikode had been waiting for any sign of him. Recently, the investigation team received a breakthrough with the discovery of the lorry’s cabin and a body believed to be Arjun’s.
Arjun went missing due to a landslide that occurred on July 16 following heavy rains. Initially, it was confirmed that the lorry Arjun was driving did not fall into the river. In the days following the accident, the Navy conducted searches in the Gangavali River, but ongoing rains and the landslide posed significant challenges for rescue efforts.
Three days after the incident, rescue operations were slow. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan wrote to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, urging for the acceleration of the rescue efforts. In the initial days of the search, every time Arjun’s mobile phone rang, his family held onto hope that he was safe. However, as days passed without significant progress, their hopes began to wane.
From the day after the accident, the lorry owner Manaaf, along with Arjun’s brother Abhijith and brother-in-law Jithin, remained at the disaster site, hoping to locate the lorry.
Arjun’s family requested that all possible means be employed in the search for those missing, including Arjun. Search teams comprising the Army, Navy, and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), along with volunteer rescue groups from Uttarakhand and Pettimudi, participated in the efforts. However, no substantial evidence related to Arjun or his lorry was found.
Four individuals, including Arjun, went missing in the landslide. Later, a woman’s body was discovered in the Gangavali River during the search. Despite deploying radar equipment for further investigations, no additional evidence was uncovered, leading to ongoing searches with more advanced equipment.
On the twelfth day since Arjun went missing, Karnataka authorities announced that they were pulling back from the search, bringing tears to both the family and the people of Kerala. In response to a plea from Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Arjun’s family, the Karnataka government decided to continue the search efforts. The rescue mission concluded on August 16.
However, preparations for necessary rescue equipment continued in Kerala. A large dredger was required for deep water rescue operations, and it was brought to Shirur from Goa Port on September 11. The search resumed on the 12th, during which a water tank carrier was discovered in the river; however, Manaaf confirmed that it did not belong to Arjun’s lorry.
While the dredger operations were ongoing, diving expert Eeshwar Malpe conducted parallel searches. However, due to a lack of proper permissions, his efforts faced obstacles, leading him to abandon his search. In his search, he found metal parts, debris, and wooden logs.
Today, during a crucial search operation, Arjun’s lorry and the body inside were discovered. The lorry was found near CP 2. Although Manaaf expressed sadness over the circumstances, he noted that there was a sense of peace in finally obtaining answers.
