Karkala: Two youths drown in Swarna River while swimming on holiday

Karkala: Two youths drown in Swarna River while swimming on holiday

Mangalore Today News Network

Karkala, September 30, 2026: Two young men drowned while swimming in the Swarna River at Hermunde in Hirgana village of Karkala taluk on Tuesday afternoon, September 29.

The deceased have been identified as Bharat Poojary, 29, a painter, and Harshaan Acharya, 23, both residents of Hirgana village. Their friends Ranjith, 27, and Ketan, 23, who had accompanied them, were safe.

Went swimming on a holiday

As Bharat and Harshaan had a day off from work, they went swimming with their friends in the afternoon. The group walked nearly two kilometres along a rugged path from Mangilaru in Hirgana to reach the river at Hermunde.

While swimming, Bharat and Harshaan ventured into deeper waters and drowned.

As there was no motorable road to the spot, Fire and Emergency Services personnel had to trek around three kilometres carrying their rescue equipment. On reaching the site, they found that the two youths had become trapped underwater.

A rescue team led by fire station officer Sanjeev Devadiga, with the assistance of local residents, carried out an operation lasting more than three hours. Fire personnel and divers used ropes, life jackets and a drone to locate and recover the bodies.

The bodies were recovered at around 6 pm and shifted to the Government Hospital, Karkala, for post-mortem examination. Further legal and procedural formalities are underway.

Dream of new home cut short

Bharat Poojary was supporting his family by working as a painter. He had been building his own house and had already completed the slab work. He was reportedly planning to hold the house-warming ceremony in the coming months.

The tragic incident has cut short his dream of completing his new home.

Fire personnel Roopesh, Suresh, Nithyananda, Dinesh and Muzammil, along with driver Shivananda, participated in the rescue operation.