Shirur/Kozhikode: Uncertainty is continuing over the search for Kozhikode native Arjun who went missing in the massive landslide at Shirur in Karnataka’s Ankola. Though the district authority has allowed underwater search expert Eshwar Malpe to resume the search in the Gangavali river from Sunday, heavy rain in the area disrupted the mission.
Karnataka police blocked Eshwar Malpe and his team from resuming the search in the river. Malpe and his team reached Shirur on Sunday morning for the search. However, the district authority asserted that they won’t let them dive into the river without the support of experts. They also claimed that search in the deep waters is not possible without taking a barge-mounted dredger.
The India Meteorological Department has sounded an orange alert in Shirur on Sunday.
Arjun, a truck driver disappeared from the riverbank in Shirur following a massive landslide on July 16. Even after a 13-day-long search in land and water, there is no clue about Arjun. It is suspected that Arjun is trapped inside the truck that got buried under the mud accumulated on the river following the landslide. Meanwhile, Dakshina Kannada district authority confirmed that no human presence was detected in the riverbed during the search using various devices.
Meanwhile, Arjun’s family expressed disappointment over the delay in resuming the search operation. Arjun’s brother-in-law Jithin told Manorama News that the district authority is not giving permission to restart the mission. He added that Malpe has expressed willingness to resume the search, but the authority is not giving nod to him.
According to Malpe, the river’s water level is expected to drop due to a low tide phenomenon on every ‘Amavasi’ day. As Saturday, August 3 is Amavasi, the water level is anticipated to remain low for about three hours during this period.
On Saturday, opposition leader VD Satheesan told media that he would appeal to the Congress-led Karnataka government to launch the search for Arjun in Gangavali river again. But Dakshina Kannada district authority is not giving permission for the search due to the adverse weather conditions and strong currents in the river.