KOZHIKODE: The discovery of a decomposed body and the cabin of the truck driven by Arjun has brought a painful, but necessary end, to the search of his family members for vital clues more than two months after he disappeared in the disaster.
Arjun’s brother-in-law, Jithin, who had stayed at the recovery site throughout the process, shared his mixed emotions, saying, “We knew Arjun wouldn’t return alive, but we clung to the hope of finding some remains.” His grief was palpable as he witnessed the crane lifting the twisted cabin of the truck from the Gangavali River, a moment that signalled the end of their long ordeal.
The remains were immediately transported to the Karwar Government Hospital mortuary, and the authorities, including Karwar MLA Satish Krishna Sail, confirmed that a DNA test would be conducted to verify the body’s identity.
Arjun’s family, especially his sister Anju, found the situation too overwhelming. Jithin explained how he felt it was the right decision to send his wife back home before the recovery, as the sight of her brother’s decomposed remains would have been too much for her to bear.
Manaf, the owner of the truck, who had been at the scene since the beginning of the recovery efforts, shared his own deep grief and the emotional toll the event had taken on him. Manaf also became the victim of social media attacks. But his resolve to stay in Shirur until Arjun’s body was found never wavered. Reflecting on the suspended search in August, Manaf spoke about how devastated he was. But he credited the support from various quarters for enabling them to resume operations and ultimately find the body.
As the news of the recovery spread, Arjun’s family in Kerala was heartbroken. Political leaders, including AICC general secretary K C Venugopal MP, visited the family on Wednesday to offer their condolences. Support has poured in from various parts of the state, helping the grieving family through this tragic time.
The DNA test results are expected soon, after which the body will be handed over to the family for a proper farewell.
Earlier in a compassionate move, the Kerala State Government had offered a job to Krishnapriya, the wife of Arjun. She has since been employed as a junior clerk at the Vengeri Service Co-operative Bank in Kozhikode. On September 3, she joined the bank accompanied by Jithin and Anju.
MP M K Raghavan thanks Karnataka Government for support in recovering Arjun’s body
M K Raghavan MP expressed his deep gratitude to the Karnataka government for their unwavering support in the recovery of Arjun’s body. He specifically thanked Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, Karwar MLA Satish Sale, and the district administration for their crucial role in the operation.
Raghavan recalled how Arjun’s family approached his office on July 18, and from that moment, he remained committed to helping them. Despite two unsuccessful phases in the search for Arjun, Raghavan and Arjun’s cousin, MLA A K M Ashraf travelled to Bengaluru to personally request financial support from the Karnataka government.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah responded immediately, arranging a dredger from a private company in Goa to continue the search. Raghavan also acknowledged the involvement of various Central and state agencies, including the Navy, Army, SDRF, NDRF, and technical experts, who were coordinated by the Karnataka government.