Search operations under way after a car carrying four persons plunged into the Visvesvaraya canal near Tibbanahalli in Mandya on Monday.
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

The car that plunged into the Visvesvaraya canal near Tibbanahalli in Mandya was being fished out of the waters.
| Photo Credit:
SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Rescue personnel carrying out search operations as two persons were feared drowned after a car plunged into the Visvesvaraya canal near Tibbanahalli in Mandya on Monday.
| Photo Credit:
SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

A man died and two others were feared drowned after a car they were travelling in veered off the road and plunged into the Visvesvaraya Canal near Tibbanahalli in Mandya taluk.

Four persons were onboard the car, including the driver. They were on their way to Mandya from Pandavapura on Monday afternoon when the driver lost control of the vehicle, which then fell into the canal.

Nayaz, one of the four persons, managed to escape. The body of another person, identified as Fayaz, was fished out of the canal. The Fire and Emergency Services Department launched a rescue operation. The rescue personnel retrieved the car from the waters.

An official statement said the search operations were underway to find the remaining two individuals who were missing. The strong currents in the 30-foot-deep area were hampering the search operations.

Regional Fire Officer P. Chandan and Mandya District Fire Officer Gururaj K.P. were leading the search efforts. Deputy Commissioner of Mandya Kumar and Superintendent of Police Mallikarjun Baladandi monitored the rescue operations.

In a statement here, MLA for Mandya P. Ravikumar has condoled the death and announced a compensation of ₹1 lakh to the next of kin of the bereaved.

Safety Barriers

Monday’s mishap has once again triggered a debate over the absence of safety barriers around the Visvesvaraya canal passing alongside roads in Mandya district.

Several lives had been lost in similar incidents involving vehicles plunging into the Visvesvaraya canal reported from Shivalli, Gamanahalli, and Banaghatta in 2023.

A committee of officials constituted by the Mandya district administration recommended the construction of safety barriers along the canals, lakes, and other water bodies and the installation of warning signs near accident-prone sites on the roads.