Five people, including four members of the same Bengaluru family, drowned in the Cauvery river at Muthathi, a popular tourist spot near Mandya, Karnataka, on Wednesday evening, 25 June 2025, after one person slipped into the water and others rushed in to save her — triggering a chain of drownings within minutes. The lone survivor, Ravi, recounted the sequence of events to reporters on Thursday.

Who the Victims Were

The deceased have been identified as Vijayamma, 50; Shwetha, 38; Chaitra, 20; Priyanka, 28; and Mahesh, the family's driver and a close friend. All five were residents of Byadarahalli, Bengaluru. The group had attended a post-marriage function called 'Beegara Oota' at Kabbala and was on its way back to Bengaluru when they stopped to visit the Kabbalamma Temple and the Muthathiraya Temple at Muthathi.

How the Tragedy Unfolded

'After visiting the temple, we went near the river and played in the water. My sister Vijayamma suddenly slipped and fell into the river. To save her, my wife Shwetha, daughter Chaitra, and my sister's daughter Priyanka rushed in, but they too were swept away by the strong current,' Ravi said.

Mahesh, who had been waiting near the vehicle, ran to help and was also pulled under by the current. Ravi himself entered the river in a final attempt to pull survivors out. 'I, too, got caught in the current. Fishermen present at the spot rescued me,' he said. He had handed his mobile phone to a child standing nearby before wading in.

According to Mandya Deputy Commissioner Dr Kumar, preliminary reports indicate the tragedy began around 4.30 pm on Wednesday while the victims were near the riverbank, reportedly taking photographs. 'This is a very painful incident. The victims lost their lives while trying to save one another because of their emotional attachment to each other,' he said.

Recovery and Official Response

Personnel from the Fire and Emergency Services Department recovered all five bodies from the river. The remains were shifted to Mandya Institute of Medical Sciences (MIMS) Hospital for post-mortem examination. Deputy Commissioner Dr Kumar visited the mortuary on Thursday and expressed condolences to the bereaved family.

Emotional scenes were witnessed at MIMS, where relatives gathered to receive the bodies. A video purportedly showing the victims playing in the river moments before the drowning has circulated widely on social media, raising fresh concerns about safety at tourist riverbanks across Karnataka.

A Recurring Danger at Muthathi

The Deputy Commissioner acknowledged that Muthathi has a documented history of such tragedies. 'Every year, four to five such incidents are reported here. According to police records, four incidents were reported last year and five the year before that. On average, five to six drowning incidents occur at this spot annually,' he said.

He noted that the district administration had previously held coordination meetings with police and installed warning signboards at the location. Critics argue that signboards alone are insufficient at a site with this frequency of fatalities, and that physical barriers or trained lifeguards may be necessary. This incident is likely to renew pressure on the Karnataka government to enforce stricter safety protocols at high-risk tourist riverbanks.