On Wednesday afternoon, a man rode his motorcycle to an irrigation canal in Karnataka’s Yadgir district with his three children. Minutes later, the police said, the 36-year-old pushed his nine-year-old daughter and two-and-a-half-year-old son into the canal near Ganganala village.
According to the Yadgir police, the man then travelled to town with his surviving daughter, 6, called the 112 emergency helpline, and told them what he had done. The police and the Fire and Emergency Services launched a search operation immediately.
Hampered by darkness on Wednesday night, search efforts resumed Thursday morning after authorities requested Krishna Bhagya Jala Nigam Limited (KBJNL) officials to stop the flow of water in the canal.
The bodies of both children were subsequently recovered.
Pruthvik Shankar, Superintendent of Police, Yadgir, said Thursday the man appeared to be mentally disturbed.
“Yesterday, we received a call from a person named Shanthappa, who said he had pushed two of his children into the canal. After preliminary inquiry, we established that he took his three children to the canal around 2.15–2.30 pm and pushed two of them into the water,” Shankar said while addressing the media.
“During questioning, Shanthappa told us that the two children were more attached to their mother and did not have any attachment towards him. He had frequent arguments with his wife,” Shankar said.
He added that they have registered a murder case against Shanthappa.
He remains in police custody, with his formal arrest expected after the completion of medical and other procedural formalities.
The police said further investigation into the timeline and circumstances is underway.
