Bantwal: A youth who had gone for swimming met a watery grave in Netravathi river near Kaikunje on October 17, Friday.
The deceased is identified as Mithun (22), son of Chennappa Poojari of Nettarakere and working at Sahyadri College at Adyar.
It is learnt that, Mithun went the river to enjoy a swim with his friends Karan, Nagesh, Rajaneesh and Nitesh. Mithun was said to have stepped into the water before his friends and soon began drowning.
According to the sources, his friends could no save him since they were not good at swimming. Later locals retrieved the body from the river.
Bantwal ASP Rahul Kumar along with SI Nandakumar and others visited the spot and said that erosion of soil near the railway bridge pillars may be the reason for the tragedy.