BANGALORE/MYSORE/CHAMARAJANAGAR: Two youths who left home to enjoy the last hours of 2011, drowned in the Bharachukki and Gaganachukki falls near Kollegal of Chamarajanagar district on Saturday.
Both the youngsters hailed from Bangalore. In the first incident, R Manoj (24), son of Ravindran Pillai of Jeevanbima Nagar in Bangalore, died after he slipped into the ‘Gavi Madu’, a whirlpool in Bharachukki falls.
Manoj who was working in a private firm at Bangalore after completing his MBA was all set to tie the knot in April. He visited Bharachukki at 12.30 pm on Saturday with 14 friends. They left Bangalore at 8 am in three cars. According to Kollegal rural police, Manoj got sucked into whirlpool.
In the second incident, Nakib Ahmed (16), was trapped in a whirlpool while swimming in the water at Gaganachukki falls. Nakib owned a tea shop at Pillanna Garden of KSCB Quarters in Bangalore.Nakib Ahmed was at the falls with his two friends. In the last six years, 76 persons lost their lives while picnicking in Gaganchukki and Bharachukki falls.
Kollegal Rural police said, “Though we have displayed sign boards about whirlpools and danger stretches, youths from Bangalore and North India in particular, totally ignore these warnings. Usually many of them come in an inebriated condition and venture into the falls. Though we check at the entrance, they manage to bring alcohol from the other side of the forest and consume it before going in for a dip and eventually die.”