Suspected lorry driven by missing Kozhikode native Arjun found

Ankola (Karnataka): The lorry suspected to have been driven by Arjun, a resident of Kozhikode who went missing during a landslide in Shiroor, Karnataka, has been found. Meanwhile, the dredgers are currently deployed to locate the missing lorry in the Gangavali River. Amid these developments, diving expert Eshwar Malpe located the lorry submerged upside down under 15 feet of water.

The underwater visuals captured by cameras attached to divers reveal images of lorry tires and other parts. However, official confirmation is still pending. There are suspicions that these could be remains of another vehicle.

During a previous search, the diving team found a piece of wood reported to be from Arjun’s lorry. On Friday evening, soil removal operations in the river lasted for 15 minutes, during which a metal part from the lorry was also recovered. The ongoing search is focused on areas where signals from the IBOD drone have been detected. Mahendra Dongre, Managing Director of the dredging company, indicated that the current contract for the dredging operations is set for three days. Eshwar Malpe and his team of divers are meticulously examining the designated area. 

The initial search for Arjun was suspended on August 17 due to difficulties in effectively removing soil. Following several days of uncertainty plans to employ a dredger were proposed, but concerns about the Rs 1 crore cost arose regarding funding. A breakthrough was achieved when Arjun's family met with Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, leading to a decision to resume search operations. Subsequently, the Karnataka government agreed to cover the expenses associated with renting the dredger.