Kannur Shock: Temple Visit Ends in Man Going Missing at Beach!

A man from Karnataka, Santosh Kumar, is missing after being swept away by strong waves at Payyambalam beach. He was part of a group of tourists who entered the sea during high tide, despite warnings.

Kannur: A massive search is on for Santosh Kumar, a Karnataka native who went missing at Payyambalam beach on Sunday. The incident happened around 12 noon. Santosh and three of his friends had gone for a swim after visiting the Kottiyoor temple. They were suddenly hit by strong waves. A lifeguard managed to rescue one of them, but Santosh was swept away by the current. This was the second such incident of the day. Earlier in the morning, another person from an eight-member group, also from Karnataka, had a close call in the water. 

Officials said the tourists had entered the sea without permission during a high tide. Tourism Minister P.C. Vishnunath rushed to the beach to personally oversee the rescue operations. "We will appoint more lifeguards here and install more warning signs to prevent such tragedies," the minister announced. Mayor Adv. P. Indira and MLA T.O. Mohanan also reached the spot to take stock of the situation. The state government has also requested help from the Ezhimala Naval Academy for the search operation.