Kushalnagar: Following rumours that nine people of Hattihole Village in Madikeri taluk have been washed away by floods, State DG and IGP Neelamani N. Raju visited Harangi Dam near Kushalnagar this morning and reviewed the search operation for tracing the bodies.

Later, speaking to presspersons at Harangi Dam, Neelamani N. Raju said that following reports that nine persons from Hattihole who have gone missing since Aug.16 are feared to have been washed away by floods, she visited the Dam. Sympathising with the victims of rain havoc in Kodagu district, she said that the Police Department will donate Rs. 5.8 Crore to the Chief Minister’s flood relief fund. The money will be raised after deducting one-day wage of all employees of the Police Department, she noted.

Pointing out that five Police teams have been formed to search the nine missing persons from Hattihole, the DGP said that the search operations are being conducted manually as Drone camera used as guides, have become dysfunctional due to heavy fog and inclement weather.

IGP (Southern Range) K.V. Sharath Chandra, DySP Muralidhar and other Police personnel were present.