Mandya: A pall of gloom descended over Mandya Institute of Medical Sciences (MIMS) on Thursday as relatives and friends gathered to mourn the tragic loss of five members of a family who drowned in the Cauvery River at Muthathi in Malavalli taluk while reportedly attempting to take photographs near the riverbank.Scenes of heartbreak unfolded outside the mortuary as grieving family members wept inconsolably. Relatives demanded immediate compensation from the govt and questioned the safety measures at the popular tourist spot.Family members alleged that despite Muthathi being known as a dangerous location with deep waters and strong currents, there were no visible warnings or personnel to effectively prevent visitors from entering risky areas. They expressed anger that authorities failed to caution the victims and urged the govt to ensure that such incidents do not recur.Ravi, the lone survivor of the incident, narrated the sequence of events that led to the tragedy. According to him, the group travelled from Bengaluru to Kabbala to attend a family gathering. Later, six of them, including Ravi, proceeded to Muthathi in a car driven by their friend Mahesh. While standing in the river, Ravi’s elder sister Vijayamma reportedly slipped into deep water and began drowning. In an attempt to rescue her, Ravi’s wife Shwetha, daughter Chaitra and niece Priyanka rushed forward. However, all of them were swept away by the river’s current.Mandya DC Kumara said warning boards and Home Guards were deployed at the site. He urged visitors to exercise extreme caution while entering rivers and waterbodies.Kumara confirmed that a report seeking compensation for the victims’ families has been submitted to the govt. He promised additional safety measures at Muthathi to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
