Manipal: Two MITians drowned in Mannupalla lake

By Snehalatha, Udupi
Bellevision Media Network

Manipal, 16 June 2012: Manipal was named after the lake flowing in Manipal called: Manna Palla in which two engineer students have drowned on Friday night and one managed swim to safety.

 

The victims are; one from Bangalore Kiran Swami Chandra Moulli (24) and the other from Hyderabad Nikila Malla Madugulla (24).  Both victims were students of Manipal Institute of Technology (MIT) studying in 2nd Year Engineering (Computer Science).  Both of them along with 4th year student of same group Shounik Mahavedi (26) on Friday midnight drowned while riding in a boat at Manipal (palla) lake due to boat capsizing.  However, since Shounik knew swimming, he could escape, but other two could not make it as they could not swim.

 

Shounik Mahavedi, Nikila Malla Madugulla, Kiran Swami Chandra Moulli

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shounik tried frantically to search the drowned victims for a long time unsuccessfully and finally gave up and reported to Manipal police station at about 3.00am.  The fire brigade arrived early morning and search operations are still going on but so far there is no success in finding the dead bodies.  Bag and purse of Nikila were found in the water.

 

Since the water was dried in the Mani Palla lake, the two boats were tied at the side of the lake and one of pedal boat was having a hole which these students took out and started riding for a fun and gone to the center of the lake.  Suddenly the boat got capsized and the tragedy took place.

 

The police suspect that these students were drunk and that why they had no control and feared dead.  However, the escaped one Shounik denying that they were drunk but once the dead bodies are found, the tests will be conducted to find out if they were drunk or not.