Nanjangud:  In a tragic incident, an aged couple from Bengaluru was found drowning in the Kapila River by the locals. While they managed to save the woman, the man drowned. The unfortunate incident occurred near the Hadinaru Kalu Mantapa.

Nagaraju (70), a resident of Dasarahalli in Bengaluru, is the one who met the watery grave and his wife Kalavathi, 60, was saved. She was found caught in the branch of a tree and locals rescued and admitted her to the Government Hospital.

Kalavathi, in her statement to the Police, has said that they came to visit the Nanjangud Temple. They went to the Hadinaru Kalu Mantapa nearby to have a bath and while bathing, they slipped into the water. The Police have registered a case, according to her statement.

However, at the same time, their son Santosh had filed a missing complaint about his parents in the Amruthalli Police Station in Bengaluru.

The unconfirmed TV channel reports said that the couple might have tried to take their lives because of the superstitious belief that by dying in Kapila River they will attain moksha (salvation).

Did the couple, who left home three days ago, try to commit suicide by jumping into the river because of family problems?  Or did they really have this superstitious belief that they would attain moksha by ending their lives here? Or as the woman has claimed did they slip and fall into the river? are the questions that arise.

It may be recalled that Star of Mysore had published a story under the title “Cop who dignifies death of unclaimed bodies” in its issue dated July 23, wherein it said that just like people go to Kashi to die, the belief here is that if they come here and breath their last near the Cauvery River in Sriranagapatna, they will attain salvation. Hence, many of them instead of going to distant Kashi are coming here to die and these days the numbers  have increased.