Couple From Gujarat Drowns as Boat Capsizes in Karnataka's Harangi Backwaters

A holiday in Karnataka's Kodagu district ended in tragedy after a tourist couple from Gujarat drowned when their boat capsized in the Harangi reservoir backwaters. The victims have been identified as 50-year-old Dharmesh and his 48-year-old wife, Nimmi, who were visiting the popular hill district alongside their family from Surat.

The accident took place during an evening excursion arranged through a private adventure water sports facility operating near Aanekadu in Kushalnagar taluk. According to local authorities, the vessel abruptly lost balance and flipped over while attempting to negotiate a sharp turn at high speed around 6:00 p.m.

The couple was accompanied on the ride by their two adult children, aged 21 and 24, who were also thrown into the water when the vessel overturned. Rescue workers and local bystanders acted swiftly to pull the two young adults to safety, ensuring they survived the ordeal without life-threatening physical injuries.

Preliminary investigations indicated that all four family members had been equipped with life jackets before boarding the craft. Despite wearing flotation gear, Dharmesh and Nimmi reportedly became trapped beneath the hull of the overturned boat, leaving them unable to swim free or reach the water surface.

Emergency personnel and local divers eventually pulled the couple from beneath the submerged craft and transported them immediately to a nearby healthcare facility. Medical staff pronounced both victims dead on arrival, and their bodies were subsequently shifted for standard post-mortem procedures before being handed over to relatives.

The Kushalnagar Rural Police have registered a case against the boat operator and facility management in connection with the fatal accident. Law enforcement officers are investigating whether the vessel was operating in violation of safety guidelines, with a specific focus on alleged operator negligence and excessive speed during water maneuvers.

The fatal capsize has reignited scrutiny over the proliferation of commercial water sports operators across Karnataka's inland waterways and reservoir catchment zones. Kodagu remains a premier destination for domestic tourists, but regional authorities have previously faced questions regarding regular inspections, licensing standards, and emergency preparedness at private tourism enterprises.

Safety analysts note that while life jackets are essential for buoyancy in open water, they cannot always prevent fatal entrapment when a vessel capsizes rapidly and pins occupants underneath. Such risks are heightened when high-powered recreational crafts operate without adequate stability buffers or strictly demarcated navigation channels in confined reservoir waters.

District officials in Kodagu are anticipated to review operational permissions for recreational watercraft across the Harangi backwaters following the tragedy. Meanwhile, police investigators continue to record statements from the surviving family members and eyewitnesses as administrative authorities determine whether stricter regulatory curbs will be imposed on private tour operators in the region.