K’taka landslide: Kerala rescue workers return, river mission temporarily halted

Ankola: The search for Arjun, the lorry driver who went missing after the landslide in Shiroor, continues as officials have restricted the number of rescue workers from Kerala, including Renjith Israel, to 25. The rescue mission was temporarily halted due to strong undercurrents in the area.

Now on its eighth day, the search operations are being conducted by the Navy’s scuba team in the Gangavali river after a radar signal was detected 40 meters off the shore. A tunnel boring machine and a side-scan sonar have been brought in to intensify the search. Karnataka rescue officials are also working to clear the road for smooth vehicle passage, currently hindered by protesting drivers.

The Karnataka High Court has sent notices to the state and national governments, emphasising the seriousness of the search mission. The court has asked the Karnataka government to file a status report. The High Court has also postponed the hearing to tomorrow. This is in response to a plea filed in the Supreme Court by lawyer K.R. Subhash Chandran to intensify the search for Arjun.

Earlier today, the relatives of Arjun and media persons were denied entry to the landslide area, but later Arjun’s relative Jithin was allowed access.

The rough river conditions and intermittent rain are challenging the rescue operations. Previously, the body of a woman who went missing in the landslide was found in a decomposed state. A total of four people, including Arjun, remain missing.