Karnataka: Family On Picnic Swept Away After Sudden Water Release From Markonahalli Dam; 2 Dead, 1 Rescued

Karnataka: In a heartbreaking incident, a leisure trip turned fatal on Tuesday when six people from Tumakur, Karnataka, were swept away by strong currents downstream of the Markonahalli Dam.

Tumakuru Superintendent of Police Ashok KV stated that a group of about 15 people had gone for a picnic at the dam. Among them, seven including women and children entered the water just as the siphon system unexpectedly released a surge, creating a powerful current.

"Around 3:30 PM, a call was received in the control room reporting that a family of seven, who had gone for a picnic near the Shimsha River, had drowned in the flowing river... The bodies of two women and one injured person, Nawaz, were found... According to family members, four more people—two small babies (one year old and four years old) and two adult females—fell into the stream... The Belluru Police Station is registering the case, and further investigation will be conducted...," he added.

#WATCH | Tumkur, Karnataka: Tumkur SP Ashok Venkat says, "Around 3:30 PM, a call was received in the control room reporting that a family of seven, who had gone for a picnic near the Shimsha River, had drowned in the flowing river... The bodies of two women and one injured… pic.twitter.com/yfayJI3JQD

— ANI (@ANI) October 7, 2025

As reported by NDTV, all seven individuals were dragged away by the forceful flow. Rescue teams from both the police and fire departments quickly arrived at the scene. One person, identified as Nawaz, was pulled out and admitted to Adichunchanagiri Hospital.

Police confirmed that two bodies have been recovered, and efforts to find the remaining four are ongoing. Search operations have been paused for the night and will resume on Wednesday morning.

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Ashok KV noted that apart from Nawaz, all the victims are women and young girls.

Dam engineers stated that the surge was likely caused by a natural spike in water flow. However, the precise reason behind the siphon system’s sudden activation is under investigation.

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The bodies retrieved so far are being kept at Adichunchanagiri Hospital for identification and post-mortem.