Ankola landslide: Kerala CM urges Karnataka to expedite search for missing lorry driver

It has been three days since driver M P Arjun and his truck went missing after a massive landslide in Ankola, Karwar, Karnataka. Despite this, his family remains hopeful that he is still alive. Search operations are ongoing in Ankola near Shirur village in Karnataka's Uttara Kannada district to locate the lorry driver from Kerala.

According to reports from North Karnataka, six bodies have been recovered since the incident on July 16. "The Karnataka Police are doing everything possible to remove the debris, but continuous rains are hampering operations. However, we remain hopeful that we will be able to locate those feared missing," PTI quoted a Karnataka official as saying.

Family not convinced

However, Arjun's family is not convinced that the Karnataka government is doing everything possible to locate and rescue him. They believe Arjun is still alive under the debris, as they think his modern truck could withstand such a disaster, and his phone was ringing until this morning.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has urged his Karnataka counterpart Siddaramaiah to expedite the search and rescue operations at the landslide-hit Ankola in Uttara Kannada. In a letter to Siddaramaiah, the Kerala Chief Minister suggested that, given the urgency of the situation, it would be beneficial to deploy ground-penetrating radar to locate vehicles that might be buried under the debris from the landslide.

'Deploy ground-penetrating radars'

“Given the urgency of the situation, it may be beneficial to consider deploying ground-penetrating radars to locate vehicles that might be buried under the debris. I kindly request you to direct the concerned authorities to explore this option and expedite the search and rescue operations. His anxious family and all of Kerala await news of his whereabouts and are deeply distressed by the uncertainty surrounding his situation. Your personal attention to this matter is highly appreciated,” read the letter sent by Pinarayi Vijayan.

A team led by Kerala motor vehicle department officials has already set off to Ankola from Kasargod to assist the Karnataka police in the rescue operations. The landslide occurred on National Highway 66 in Ankola taluk of Uttara Kannada following incessant rains on Tuesday. Many vehicles and around fifteen people went missing after the incident. Six bodies have already been recovered, and search operations are still ongoing.

Arjun, a native of Kannadikkal, Kozhikode, was transporting a truckload of timber when he encountered the disaster. The truck owner, Manaf, sensed something unusual as the GPS of the vehicle remained static for hours and alerted the authorities. "The driver's cabin is air-conditioned and well-covered. Hence, there could be a chance that the landslide debris did not enter the cabin," he told Malayalam visual media in Kozhikode. He has also accused the officials of being more concerned with clearing the highway for traffic to resume rather than focusing on rescuing Arjun.

Politicians urge Karnataka govt

Several political leaders, cutting across party lines, have urged the Karnataka government to take action, assuming Arjun is still alive. The Karnataka Police initially suggested that the truck might have been washed away to a nearby river. However, this was later clarified by Navy divers to be incorrect. With the GPS signals now being received from the spot, rescue operations are convinced that the vehicle is buried underneath the mud. An LPG tanker parked by the roadside was pushed into the adjacent Gangavali river and was washed away.

Arjun’s relatives allege that the authorities did not heed their cries about him still being alive when they arrived in Ankola on Wednesday (July 17). They claim that action only began after they contacted Kerala politicians and political pressure was applied. According to the relatives, Arjun’s vehicle was active until yesterday, and his phone rang intermittently until Thursday (July 18) afternoon.