Karnataka shellfish tragedy: Death toll rises to 11 in Bhatkal river drowning
Synopsis
Fourteen members of the same family waded into the Tattehakkalu river in coastal Karnataka to collect shellfish — 11 of them did not return. The tragedy exposes a routine but largely unregulated practice across India's coastline, where receding tides lure communities into rivers with no safety net in place.
Key Takeaways
The death toll in the Bhatkal shellfish tragedy rose to 11 on 25 May after the body of Mahadev Nayak was recovered.
A group of 14 people from the same family had entered the Tattehakkalu river in Karwar district to collect shellfish.
Bodies of 10 victims were recovered on Sunday; the 11th was retrieved Monday in a joint NDRF operation.
All victims were residents of Sharadahole, Padushirali village near Shirali in Bhatkal taluk .
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced ₹5 lakh compensation each for the families of the deceased.
The death toll in the Bhatkal shellfish tragedy climbed to 11 on Monday, 25 May, after the body of Mahadev Nayak — the last person reported missing — was recovered from the Tattehakkalu river near Bhatkal in Karwar district, Karnataka. The victims were members of the same family who had waded into the river to collect shellfish and reportedly drifted into a deeper section of the waterway.
How the Tragedy Unfolded
According to officials, a group of 14 people from Sharadahole in Padushirali village near Shirali in Bhatkal taluk had entered the Tattehakkalu river when water levels had receded — a common practice among coastal communities seeking shellfish. Preliminary findings suggest the group unknowingly entered a deeper portion of the river, triggering the mass drowning. Locals managed to rescue three people from the water before rescue teams arrived.
Recovery Operations
The body of Mahadev Nayak, who had gone missing while collecting shellfish at Alvekodi in Bhatkal, was retrieved during a joint operation by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and a team led by Eshwar Malpe. The bodies of the remaining 10 victims had been recovered on Sunday. Karwar Deputy Commissioner K. Lakshmi Priya confirmed the size of the group and said NDRF personnel and local police had both conducted rescue operations at the site.
Victims Identified
Eight of the deceased have been identified as Lakshmi Madev Naik (38), Lakshmi Shivaram Naik (39), Malati Jattappa Naik (38), Mastamma Manjunath Naik (43), Lakshmi Naik, Lakshmi Annappa Naik (44), Jyoti Naik, and Umesh Manjunath Naik. All belonged to the same family and were residents of the same village in Bhatkal taluk.
Government Response
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah expressed grief over the incident and announced a compensation of ₹5 lakh each for the families of all deceased. In a post on X, Siddaramaiah wrote: 'I am deeply saddened to learn about the tragic incident near Tattehakkalu coast in Bhatkal of Karwar district, where members of the same family drowned while they had gone to collect shellfish. I pray for the eternal peace of the departed souls. This is an extremely unfortunate and painful incident. On humanitarian grounds, the State Government will provide compensation of Rs 5 lakh each to the families of those who lost their lives in the tragedy.'
A Recurring Coastal Risk
Police noted that people in coastal Karnataka regularly enter rivers and shallow sea areas to collect shellfish when tidal conditions lower water levels — an activity that carries significant, often underestimated, risk. This incident underscores the absence of formal safety protocols or warning systems for such informal fishing practices. Authorities have not yet indicated whether preventive measures will be put in place at known shellfish-collection sites along the coast.
Point of View
No safety guidelines, and no regulatory oversight. The state's ₹5 lakh compensation is a humanitarian gesture, but it does not address the structural gap: there are no formal protocols governing when and how communities can safely access these waterways. Until authorities treat shellfish collection as the occupational activity it is — with commensurate safety infrastructure — incidents like Bhatkal will keep recurring.
NationPress
10 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened in the Bhatkal shellfish tragedy in Karnataka?
A group of 14 members from the same family entered the Tattehakkalu river near Bhatkal in Karwar district to collect shellfish and reportedly drifted into a deeper section of the river, causing mass drowning. The death toll reached 11 as of 25 May, with three people rescued by locals.
Who were the victims of the Tattehakkalu river drowning?
All 11 victims belonged to the same family and were residents of Sharadahole in Padushirali village near Shirali in Bhatkal taluk. Eight have been formally identified, including Lakshmi Madev Naik, Lakshmi Shivaram Naik, Malati Jattappa Naik, and Mastamma Manjunath Naik, among others.
What compensation has the Karnataka government announced for the victims' families?
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced a compensation of ₹5 lakh each for the families of all those who died in the tragedy, citing humanitarian grounds. The announcement was made via a post on X.
How was the last missing body recovered?
The body of Mahadev Nayak, the last person reported missing, was recovered during a joint operation by the NDRF team and a team led by Eshwar Malpe at Alvekodi in Bhatkal on Monday, 25 May.
Why do people collect shellfish in rivers in coastal Karnataka?
According to police, coastal communities commonly enter rivers or shallow sea areas to collect shellfish when water levels recede due to tidal patterns. The practice is widespread but largely unregulated, with no formal safety protocols in place at known collection sites.
