Govt doctor goes for dip in river before puja at temple, drowns and dies

HASSAN: A government doctor, who stepped into the backwaters of the Hemavathi river for a dip before going to a temple to offer puja, died after he drowned in the water. His body was found floating in the river by the police.

Before heading to work, Dr Chandrashekhar S S (31), who was posted at the Keregodu primary health centre, had gone to the Khonapura island in the Hemavathi backwaters near Gorur on Friday morning to offer puja at the Sri Ranganatha Swamy temple. He had been visiting the temple for several years.

The Hemavathi backwaters where the doctor drowned.

On Friday, he kept his phone in the car, took off his clothes on the banks of the river and got into the water to take a bath before heading to the temple. It is suspected that he may not have gauged the depth and drowned in the water.

When he did not return till night, his family members called him on the phone and when he did not answer, they lodged a complaint with the Arkalgud police. Meanwhile, a Gorur police team on patrol had noticed Dr Chandrashekhar’s car parked at the same place for long hours.

On receiving information from the Arkalgud police, the patrol team then looked for the doctor on the river banks and found his clothes. A little distance away, they also found the body floating in the water. The police then retrieved the body and a case was registered at the Gorur police station.