Five of family on picnic feared dead in Shalmala river near Sirsi

The Shalmala river that flows near Sirsi in Uttara Kannada. | Photo Credit: FILE PHOTO

Five members of a family drowned in the Shalmala river near Sirsi in Uttara Kannada on Sunday.

They are feared dead.

The names of those feared dead were given as 44-year-old Mohammad Saleem, 14-year-old Umar Siddique, 22-year-old Nabil, 22-year-old Nadiya Sheikh, all from Ramanbail area in Sirsi, and Misbah of Kasturba Nagar in Sirsi.

They were enjoying a picnic at Bhootanagundi on the Shalmala riverbed.

Nadiya and Nabil slipped into the river and were being washed away. Seeing this, the other three jumped into the river but drowned as none knew swimming, the police said.

A team led by Deputy Superintendent of Police Ganesh K.L., Circle Inspector P. Seetaram and Sub-Inspector Pratap Kumar and Fire and Emergency Services personnel are trying to retrieve the bodies.

Local fishermen are helping them. Search is on. A case is being registered, the police said.