JOIN USThe National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), which specialises in rescue operations during calamities, found the search for the bodies of actors Anil Kumar and Raghav Uday a challenge.
“We work round the clock without break. But this was a challenge as the water was extremely cold and murky. Visibility was poor even at a depth of 10 feet,” said Subeesh K S, assistant commandant (Ministry of Home Affairs), Regional Response Centre, 10th Battalion, NDRF.
Manjunath, an NDRF diver who plunged 50 metres during the operation, echoed him. He said the rescue would have been easier in running water despite silt. He said he dived at least four times each on Tuesday and Wednesday searching for the actors’ bodies.
Another member of the NDRF team said, “We have worked in many places like the Cauvery River, Madikeri, Mekedatu and T Narasipur but never faced such a challenge. We have worked in places where bodies have been stuck between stones. In TG Halli, the silt was like quicksand.”
One diver said the tankbed was like a valley. In one place, it is 10 feet deep, then suddenly the drops to 50 feet. The presence of fishing nets in the water made it difficult. “Had the lake been well-maintained, the operation would have been easier. We had to stop at midnight because of zero visibility and fluctuating water temperature,” he said.