Arjun Mission: Skeleton remains recovered from Gangavali River sent for lab test; search on with dredger
By Aishwarya Nair | First Published Sep 23, 2024, 9:20 AM ISTSkeletal remains, believed to be human, were uncovered during the ongoing search for Arjun, a Kerala native and lorry driver missing since a landslide in Karnataka's Shiroor. The remains were found in the Gangavali River, where efforts continue to locate Arjun's lorry.
Shiroor: Skeletal remains, believed to be human, were discovered during the search for Kerala native Arjun, a lorry driver who went missing in a landslide in Shiroor. The remains were found in the Gangavali River, where efforts are underway to locate the lorry Arjun was driving. The remains have been sent to a forensic lab for further analysis.
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Earlier, retired Major General Indrabalan, a representative of Quick Pay, the private company that had conducted inspections in the area, arrived on-site today. The skeletal remains found yesterday in the Gangavali River have been sent to the FSL lab for testing. If the remains are confirmed to be human, the confirmation is expected by this afternoon. If they are human, the remains will be sent for DNA testing.
On Sunday, diving expert Eshwar Malpe called off his search for Arjun's lorry, despite having made progress locating parts of vehicles believed to have been swept away in the Shiroor landslide. Malpe accused the local administration and the district police chief of mistreating him, which led to his decision to end the search efforts.
Earlier, Malpe had located an Activa scooter and wooden debris, believed to be from Arjun's truck, at a site previously identified by the Navy. However, following police instructions to inform the district administration before proceeding, Malpe decided to withdraw from the search. Near the Navy's marked point, CP4, a fan used to cool a radiator, along with its surrounding ring, was also discovered.
Malpe expressed his frustration, saying, "The police told me not to act like a hero. I came for the search but can’t continue under these conditions," and apologized to Arjun's family.
In response, MLA Satish Krishna Sail refuted any claims of miscommunication, while the district administration confirmed the Navy's involvement in the search, which might continue for another eight days.
Meanwhile, the search at the Gangavali River continues using a dredger brought from Goa. Divers from Gujarat, employed by the dredger company, joined the operation. Their efforts led to the discovery of several parts, including the engine of a lorry.
Arjun rescue op: Divers recover lorry's cooling fan and ring from Gangavali river
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