Udupi: College student drowns in temple pond

Team Udayavani, Aug 27, 2024, 8:48 AM IST

Udupi: A college student tragically drowned in the Karamballi Temple pond on Sunday evening.

The deceased has been identified as Siddharth Shetty (19). It is reported that the incident occurred while he was indulging in playful activities with friends.

Siddharth, along with two fellow students from his educational institution in Karkala, visited the pond on Sunday evening. Without hesitation, Siddharth removed his shirt and jumped into the water. His friends remained on the shore, watching him. The pond, which is over 15 feet deep, proved too dangerous for Siddharth, who was not a skilled swimmer. When he did not resurface, his friends alerted the locals, who, along with the fire brigade, launched a rescue operation.

Narrowly Escaped Death Before

It is also revealed that Siddharth was involved in a previous bike accident in Udupi, where three people were injured, including himself. The two other riders from that accident remain in a coma. Additionally, one of the students with him on Sunday had previously been a passenger in another bike accident in Nitte. It is believed that Siddharth’s penchant for risky behavior led to this unfortunate incident. A case has been registered at the Manipal police station based on a complaint filed by his father, Shivaprasad Shambu.