Periyapatna: Adding to the growing list of selfie and TikTok deaths in Karnataka, a tourist from Tamil Nadu met a watery grave when he accidentally  fell into a lake at Periyapatna yesterday. He was trying to take a selfie while he was on a boating ride at about 4.30 pm. 

The deceased has been identified as I.S.S. Karthik (24), a resident of Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu. The Police said that the incident occurred when Karthik tried to take a selfie and lost his balance. Firefighters and Police rushed to spot and have launched the search operations to find Karthik’s body.

Karthik, an employee of a private firm, had visited a boating centre at Koppa village, along with 50 other tourists. However, the boating activities at the centre were stopped 15 days back owing to losses. Later, the tourists were brought to the boating centre by Diju and Siju, said to be tour operators and the tourists entered the lake when the incident occurred. 

Authorities have pressed in specialist divers to search for Karthik’s body. Bettadapura Sub Inspector M. Lokesh, ASI Jagadish, Fire Station Officer Venkatesh were overseeing the search operations. Karthik’s relatives and family members have also arrived from Coimbatore and waiting for the body to be retrieved.