Karnataka: Search for Kerala lorry driver Arjun enters Day 7
Arjun, a 30-year-old lorry driver from Kerala's Kozhikode, went missing after a landslide on July 16 in Ankola's Shirur of Karnataka. The search for him has entered the 7th day today. The search team is exploring the possibility of the lorry being buried underground or submerged in the nearby river.
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FollowAnkola: The search for Arjun, a lorry driver from Kerala, has entered its seventh day. Scuba divers have begun scouring the Gangavali River, focusing on areas with dunes. Meanwhile, the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF), National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF), and Army are gearing up for a comprehensive search operation in the river, fueled by suspicions that Arjun's lorry may have plunged into the water.
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The strong current and size of the river, which is believed to be about 40 feet deep, pose significant challenges for the search operation. Even if the lorry is in the river, locating it may prove difficult. Additionally, ongoing heavy rains are exacerbating the situation.
Authorities are still considering the possibility that Arjun's lorry might be buried underground. To investigate this lead, a advanced metal detector capable of detecting objects up to 12 meters beneath the surface will be deployed on Monday. The search team plans to thoroughly scan the area and excavate the soil, aiming to completely clear the site by noon.
On the morning of July 16, Arjun (30) from Kannadikkal, Kozhikode, was caught in a landslide while his lorry was parked near a tea shop in Ankola along the Panvel-Kochi national highway. The last GPS signal from Arjun's lorry was recorded at the location where 10 people, including a tea shop owner, lost their lives in the landslide.
During a meeting with Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday, Kozhikode MP M K Raghavan urged for additional resources to be deployed in the search and rescue efforts, beyond the current efforts of the NDRF, Army, and Navy, to intensify the search for Arjun and others missing in the landslide.
