A truck belonging to Kozhikode native Arjun, who disappeared following a landslide in Karnataka’s Ankola region, was recovered from the Gangavali River on Wednesday, bringing an end to a 72-day search.
The truck’s owner, Manaf, confirmed that the cabin recovered from the river was indeed from his vehicle, and a body, believed to be Arjun's, was also found inside. Authorities are working to bring the cabin to the riverbank for further examination, and DNA tests will be conducted to confirm the identity of the remains.
The discovery came after several days of renewed search efforts. On Monday, the search team resumed their efforts, following an order from the Karnataka High Court to continue the search for three missing people, including Arjun, who disappeared after the landslide on July 16.
Earlier in the week, a crash guard from Arjun's truck was recovered from the river using a dredger machine, marking the first significant clue. Additional metal objects and vehicle parts were later found, though some were confirmed not to belong to Arjun's truck.
Despite the use of various devices, the Uttara Kannada district authorities had initially found no signs of human presence during the 13-day search that followed Arjun’s disappearance. However, the recovery of vehicle parts, including tyres and a steering wheel, eventually led to the discovery of the truck's cabin, where the body was found.
Efforts are now focused on identifying the remains and completing the formalities as quickly as possible. The recovery of the truck and remains has provided a sense of closure to Arjun’s family, who had feared he would not return but were determined to locate his body. The search involved several teams and experts, including underwater search specialist Eshwar Malpe, who played a key role in recovering parts of the vehicle from the river.