Yadgiri: Mailapur lake; Man drowns while taking a bath

Yadgiri: A 45-year-old man who had arrived with his family to visit the Mallayya temple in Mailapur, a religious centre in Yadgiri taluk, drowned while taking a holy bath in Honnakere lake on Sunday (September 20).

The deceased has been identified as Lalappa, son of Boogappa, 45, a native of Tandur in Telangana.

As Sunday was considered an auspicious day, thousands of devotees from Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Maharashtra had arrived in Mailapur to seek the blessings of Mallayya.

Devotees traditionally take a holy dip in Honnakere before visiting the Mallayya temple. Following the custom, Lalappa arrived in Mailapur with his family at around 11 am and entered the lake to take a bath.

He reportedly did not know how to swim and drowned after getting trapped in the deeper waters while attempting to swim.

As the incident was not noticed immediately amid the large gathering of devotees, his family members became anxious after some time and began searching for him.

After being informed about the incident, Yadgiri Rural Police Station PSI Veeresh and his staff rushed to Mailapur and launched a search operation in the lake with the help of local swimmers. Lalappa's body was subsequently recovered from the water.

A case has been registered at the Yadgiri Rural Police Station, and further investigation is underway.