Five Family Members Drown In Cauvery River Near Mandya's Muthathi Tourist Spot

Last Updated:June 24, 2026, 23:18 IST

According to police, seven members of the family had come to Muthathi after visiting the Kabbalamma Temple and later offering prayers at the Muthathiraya Temple.

In a tragic incident, five members of a family, including four women, drowned in the Cauvery River at the popular tourist destination of Muthathi near Halaguru in Mandya district on Wednesday evening.

The victims have been identified as Chaitra (20), Shwetha (38), Vijayamma (50), Priyanka (28), and Mahesh, the driver of the vehicle in which the family had travelled. All five were residents of Byadarahalli village in Channapatna taluk of Ramanagara district.

According to police, seven members of the family had come to Muthathi after visiting the Kabbalamma Temple and later offering prayers at the Muthathiraya Temple. The group reached Muthathi around 4.30 pm and proceeded to the banks of the Cauvery River after completing the temple rituals.

Mandya Superintendent of Police Dr Shobharani said the tragedy occurred when family members entered the river to take photographs.

“After offering prayers at the temple, the family went near the Cauvery River around 4.45 pm. They entered the water to take photographs. Vijayamma slipped into a deep pit in the river. As others attempted to rescue her, they too were pulled in and drowned," the SP said.

Police said the victims had apparently assumed that the water level was shallow. However, they unknowingly entered a deeper portion of the riverbed and were swept under.

“Home Guards stationed at the spot had warned them against entering the river. Despite the warnings, they stepped into the water. One after another, family members entered the river in an attempt to save those struggling, leading to the loss of five lives," Dr Shobharani added.

The sole surviving adult, Ravi, also attempted to rescue his family members after hearing their cries for help. However, local residents managed to pull him to safety. A four-year-old child accompanying the family also escaped unharmed.

Ravi and his family are originally from Channapatna but had been residing in Bengaluru, where they were engaged in the vegetable trade. The family had hired a vehicle for the day’s pilgrimage and excursion.

Fire and Emergency Services personnel later recovered all five bodies from the river. Search and rescue operations were launched immediately after the incident, with Halaguru police and emergency teams rushing to the spot.

Preliminary investigations suggest that the victims drowned after entering an area with an unexpected depression in the riverbed. Police said a lack of awareness about the depth of the water and attempts to rescue one another contributed to the tragedy.

A case has been registered at Halaguru Police Station, and further investigation is underway.

About the Author

Harish Upadhya

Harish Upadhya, an Assistant Editor at CNN-News18, reports from Bengaluru. Political reporting is his forte. He also tracks India's space journey, and is passionate about environmental reporting and R...Read More

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