Ankola (Karnataka): "Arjun might be inside the lorry's cabin at its confirmed location if he was in the vehicle when the landslide occurred," said Retd. Major General Indrabalan, who led the drone inspection during the search operation at the landslide site in Shiroor, Karnataka.

Indrabalan explained that, based on his experience, the chances of a large stone falling and shattering the cabin's glass are minimal.

Indrabalan noted that the district administration's top priority is to find Arjun and that they have done their utmost within the given constraints. He also mentioned that the lorry is most likely located in the area marked CP 4, which is situated 132 metres from the shore.

The IBOD currently lacks a database for detecting human bodies, which is why a thermal scanner was introduced. However, the scanner has limitations and can only be used effectively in areas where the lorry is likely to be located, rather than scanning large areas. Additionally, detecting heat signals through water presents a challenge. Since no heat signals were detected at CP 4, it was reported that no human body was found in that area, he clarified.

A team of local divers from Malpe, Udupi, known as ‘Ishwar Malpe,’ has arrived in Shirur to search for Arjun. The group, comprising eight members, reached Shirur on Saturday morning with specialised equipment. Ishwar, the team leader, noted that he has dealt with many similar situations involving strong currents, such as those in the Gangavali River, where Arjun’s lorry is believed to be. He mentioned that the team undertook this mission after being contacted by the SP and DYSP. Ishwar also shared that he has previously recovered over a thousand bodies from various accidents across Karnataka.

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Ishwar

“You can’t see when you are underwater. Thus, we use our hands to differentiate between body parts and other objects. All the points where signals were found in the river will be checked using a radar. I have retrieved bodies after going down even a hundred feet into the water,” Ishwar said.

“We go to the designated spots in navy boats and drop the anchor into the water. Then, we dive in and settle on the bottom of the waterbed with the help of the anchor. Since he was not found elsewhere, we believe that Arjun must be inside the lorry,” Ishwar added.