Three Ayyappa Swamy devotees drowned in Kapila river when they entered the waters early on Friday morning for a bath.
The victims, who were returning from Sabarimala, the shrine of Sri Ayyappa Swamy in Kerala, were part of an eight-member group of relatives from different villages in Tumkur district.
The group planned to visit Srikanteshwara Temple in Nanjangud and decided to bathe in the river before visiting the temple. However, three young members of the group were caught in the swirling waters of Kapila river near the Hejjige bridge and drowned.
The five other members of the group, who swam to safety, raised an alarm soon after reaching the river bank. Personnel from the Fire Safety and Emergency Services rushed to the spot along with police personnel and fished out the bodies of Gaviranga, 26, Rakesh, 19, and Appu, 16, from the waters by pressing a boat and expert divers into service.
Nanjangud police, which has registered a case of unnatural death, said the three victims of drowning did not know how to swim. Normally, devotees take a dip in the waters near the Srikanteshwara Temple, but the unfortunate Ayyappa Swamy devotees chose a spot about half a kilometre away from the temple near the Hejjige bridge for a bath, said a police official. The water level in the spot chosen by the group for a bath is deep, the official added.
The group comprised close relatives from villages in Tumkur district. The father of one of the drowning victim was also part of the group, police said.
Meanwhile, Nanjangud MLA Darshan Dhruvanarayan reached the spot after hearing the tragic news.
After co-ordinating with the police and fire and emergency services personnel for swift action, he extended financial assistance and also arranged for transportation of the bodies of the victims to their native village.
