Mysore/Mysuru: In a tragic incident, six persons of an extended family, including three children, drowned in the River Cauvery near the Meenakshi Sametha Arkeshwaraswamy Temple, Hale Yedathore, at K.R. Nagar yesterday.

The deceased have been identified as Asifa Mohammadi (13) of K.R. Nagar, Emma Aiman (13) of Kadugondanahalli, Bengaluru, Mohammad Yaseen (23), Neha Kousar (19), Uzair (5) of Udayagiri in Mysuru and Syed Fatima (42) of Ooty, Tamil Nadu. Yaseen and Neha Kousar were reportedly recently married.

According to the Police, the victims had come to K.R. Nagar on Saturday to attend the ongoing Urus (annual religious fair) at the Hazrat Syed Khadar Lingavali Dargah, located opposite the Arkeshwaraswamy Temple.

Last evening, as the festival drew large crowds, three children, four women and one man entered the Cauvery River near the pump house that supplies water to the town. While swimming, one girl was swept away by the current. Two other children who tried to rescue her were also pulled under.

Seeing the children struggle, the remaining members rushed to help, but were themselves dragged into the strong flow. By then, panic had spread among the group. Locals on the riverbank rushed to assist, but six lives were lost in the tragedy.

Three women were, however, rescued. The survivors, Salma Banu, a resident of K.R. Nagar, Zubeda Banu of Bannur near Mysuru and Asiya of Udayagiri in Mysuru, are undergoing treatment at K.R. Hospital in Mysuru.

News of the incident drew hundreds of villagers to the riverbank, where grief-stricken relatives and friends broke down on seeing the children’s bodies.

Leaders visit, announce relief

K.R. Nagar MLA D. Ravishankar visited the Taluk Hospital and consoled the bereaved families. He announced Rs. 5 lakh compensation for each victim’s family and said the Government would bear the medical expenses of the injured. He also assured an additional Rs. 50,000 as personal relief to each family.

Former MLA S.R. Mahesh also visited the hospital, offered condolences and personally distributed Rs. 50,000 to each family. He said he would urge CM Siddaramaiah to sanction higher compensation and expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy.

Superintendent of Police Mallikarjun Baladandi inspected the spot and said complaints from the victims’ families would be formally recorded, with further action to follow.

He was accompanied by Dy.SP T.B. Rajanna, Mysuru South Inspector Shivananjashetty, K.R. Nagar Inspector Shivaprakash, SI Swamigowda and other personnel, including Chandrashekar, Anil Kumar, Sanjay, Rani and Mahadevamma.