Search on for civic supervisor drowned in Bengaluru drain

Bengaluru, May 21 (IANS) A day-long search for a civic supervisor who fell into a storm water drain in the city amid heavy rain failed to find any trace of him, said a top corporation official on Sunday.

"Search for the contractor's supervisor Shanthakumar in the storm water drain through the day did not locate him or his body, as he is feared to have been washed away in the heavy rain water. We will resume the search on Monday," Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Commissioner N. Manjunath Prasad told reporters here.

Shanthakumar, 35, was supervising the construction of the drain's retaining wall when he accidentally fell into it and went missing though three co-workers tried to rescue him from drowning.

"Though our men cleared the debris in the storm water drain up to 2-3 km using earth-moving machines and manually, the search team could not trace Shanthakumar or his body till Sunday evening," said Prasad.

About 80 fire and emergency personnel, six State Disaster Relief Force (SDRF) men and 30 BBMP civic workers were involved in the search operations.

Bengaluru Development Minister K.J. George, who visited the spot where Shantakumar fell in and discussed the search operation with officials, told reporters that measures would be taken to prevent such accidents ahead of the monsoon season.

About 100 trees were uprooted across the city due to gusty winds and thunderstorm, followed by heavy rains till midnight.

Power outages and blackouts were also reported in many residential colonies in the eastern and southern suburbs where low-lying areas were inundated with rain water.

"The city received 40.8 mm rainfall and wind speed was 50km per hour on Saturday night,'' Asaid Indian Meteorological Department Director Sundar M. Metri.