A tragic incident occurred on Sunday in Nakkanahalli village, Malur taluk, Kolar district, where three members of a family, including two children, drowned in a farm pond. The deceased have been identified as Srinivas (45) and his sons Chetan (15) and Rajesh (9). The incident took place around noon within the limits of Masthi Police station.
Details of the Incident
According to local sources, Srinivas took his sons to swim in a Krishi honda (farm pond) owned by a villager named Byrappa after lunch. All three reportedly drowned in the pond. Preliminary investigations suggest that algae formation on the sides of the polyethylene lining made the surface slippery, preventing the victims from climbing out after they slipped into the water.
Rising Drowning Incidents in Farm Ponds
Officials have noted an increase in drowning incidents in farm ponds across Kolar in recent weeks. At least four people have died in similar incidents over the past 10 days. Despite repeated warnings from authorities against venturing near ponds, people continue to enter them. With rising temperatures, many villagers have been gathering near water bodies for relief from the heat.
Calls for Mandatory Fencing
K Narayana Gowda, president of the Kolar district Ryot Sangha, recently urged the district administration to make fencing around farm ponds mandatory. He stated that ponds constructed with government financial assistance are increasingly turning into death traps in rural areas. Earlier this month, a 15-year-old girl, Tanushree, and her cousin drowned in a farm pond at Bodenahalli village while their parents were collecting grass nearby. On May 9, two brothers reportedly drowned in Srinivasapur taluk.
Authorities continue to urge caution and emphasize the need for safety measures around farm ponds to prevent further tragedies.
