Family blames CNNL officials who refused to reduce VC Canal water flow despite appeals

Mysuru / Mandya: More details are emerging in the tragic case where three members of a family were found dead inside a car submerged in the Visvesvaraya Canal (VC Canal), within the Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS) Police Station limits of Mandya district.

The bodies were recovered from the KRS North Bank Canal (VC Canal) and identified as Kumaraswamy (38), his eight-year-old son Adhwaith, and his three-year-old daughter Akshara.

The family, originally from K.R. Nagar taluk, was residing in Bengaluru and had gone missing on April 17 while travelling from Bengaluru to K.R. Nagar.

The vehicle reportedly surfaced after the water level in the canal dropped. Upon retrieval of the car, rescue personnel discovered all three bodies inside. Police suspect that the car may have hit a stone while navigating a shortcut and plunged into the canal. The front of the car was damaged, indicating a possible loss of control, officials said.

Car struck a stone

According to Srirangapatna Dy.SP Shanthamallappa, Kumaraswamy had visited the Brindavan Gardens at KRS Dam with his children and had called his father in K.R. Nagar before heading back, even allowing the children to speak over the phone.

While attempting a shortcut along a mud road beside the canal, the car struck a stone, causing Kumaraswamy to lose control. The vehicle then veered off the path and fell into the canal.

With the windows closed and the doors jammed, all three occupants drowned. Police confirmed, based on on-site evidence, that the incident was an accident and ruled out suicide. The phone Kumaraswamy had with him is believed to have stopped working once submerged.

High water levels impeded search: SP

Mandya SP Mallikarjuna Baladandi stated that KRS Police were alerted on Tuesday morning about a car submerged near the North Bank Canal. Around ten days earlier, a missing persons case involving Kumaraswamy and his two children had been registered at the Madanayakanahalli Police Station in Bengaluru.

During the investigation, Kumaraswamy’s mobile tower location showed activity within the KRS Police Station limits, prompting local searches, which were initially unsuccessful due to high water levels.

The discovery of the car and bodies was made only after the canal’s water level receded. A detailed inquiry is underway, and Police are collecting information from family members to confirm the nature of the incident, the SP said.

Since a missing persons complaint was already filed in Bengaluru, no separate complaint had been registered in KRS Police Station until now. A case over the death of the three persons  will now be taken up by the KRS Police.

CNNL denies family’s request

Kumaraswamy’s brothers, Naveen and Manju, said that as they had suspected that the car may have fallen into the canal and had appealed to CNNL officials 10 days back to halt water flow temporarily to aid the search, but request was denied.

Brother suspects foul play

Kumaraswamy had married Sushma eight years ago in a love marriage and Kumaraswamy frequently travelled to his father’s house in K.R. Nagar from Bengaluru.

For the past two years, however, Sushma had not visited her in-laws at K.R. Nagar and Kumaraswamy travelled with his children. Kumaraswamy’s brother Naveen has expressed doubts over the circumstances of the deaths.

Sushma, however, filed a complaint at KRS Police Station, suspecting that Kumaraswamy was driving his car recklessly, which resulted in the accident.