H.D. Kote – A car, which was parked on the slope, moved into Kabini backwaters near Udbur in the taluk and was submerged yesterday evening causing panic among the onlookers. The driver had not engaged the vehicle’s hand brake.

Luckily, there was no one in the car at the time and the onlookers heaved a sigh of relief.

Antharasanthe Sub-Inspector Chandrahas, speaking to Star of Mysore said that as soon as they got information about the car getting submerged, they rushed to the spot.

Finally, fishermen and expert swimmers and divers, using a coracle went to the spot where the car was submerged and the divers secured the car with a rope and tied the other end of the rope to a tractor, which pulled the car out of the river at about 7.30 pm.

As water level has receded in Kabini backwaters, tourists are thronging the place along with their families.

According to the public,  tourists, especially youths, who arrive here carry food, liquor and plastic water bottles, which they later discard carelessly and sometimes throw the wastes, including leftover food and bottles into the river.

They have urged the authorities to take steps to prevent such incidents in future and save the river and its surroundings from being polluted.

Antharasanthe Police have registered a case.