DNA test confirms remains recovered from Shirur are Arjun's; mortal remains to reach home soon

Ankola: The DNA test results have confirmed that the body recovered on Wednesday belongs to Arjun, a lorry driver who went missing in a landslide in Karnataka. Arjun, a resident of Kannadikkal in Kozhikode, was last seen on July 16 when his lorry was caught in the landslide on the Panvel-Kanyakumari National Highway near the Karnataka-Goa border.

The lorry, which had been missing for 71 days, was located in the Gangavali River during a dredging operation. A body was found inside the cabin which the forensic team has now confirmed was of Arjun.

The recovery of the lorry occurred during the third phase of search efforts, which were marked by adverse weather conditions. Major Gen. Indrabalan oversaw the search operation, which ultimately led to the lorry’s discovery in the CP 2 area. Manaf, the owner of the lorry, has confirmed that Arjun was driving it at the time of the incident.

Search operations on Monday revealed skeletal remains believed to be human, which have also been sent for forensic testing. Despite challenges, including the difficulties of removing mud, the search team persisted, aided by divers from Gujarat who helped locate parts of the lorry.

The search had been called off on August 17 due to the complexities involved in recovering the vehicle. However, following a meeting between the family and Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, funding was secured to resume the operation. The Karnataka Government agreed to cover the Rs 1 crore cost for the dredger rental.

In recent developments, diving expert Eshwar Malpe ended his search efforts after reporting mistreatment by local authorities, but the search for Arjun continues with renewed focus.