Search for Arjun resumes today; Navy and Malpe lead efforts, Army helicopter for surveillance

BENGALURU: The search operation for Arjun, who went missing in a recent landslide in Karnataka, resumed today at 10 am. The operation is being led by local diver Ishwar Malpe and involves a 50-member team, including a Navy diving unit, the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF). The team is conducting a full-scale search in the Gangavali River.

Despite a yellow alert in Shirur, weather conditions are reported to be favorable for the search. Three divers, including Malpe, are focusing on the river, while additional searches are being conducted for Lokesh and Jagannath, two other Karnataka natives who also went missing in the landslide. An Army helicopter is on standby for aerial observation.

Yesterday's search yielded significant findings, including the hydraulic jack of Arjun's truck. The discovery was made by Ishwar Malpe around 4:30 pm in the Gangavali River. The truck’s owner, Manaf, identified the jack as belonging to the vehicle driven by Arjun. He expressed hope that the truck and possibly Arjun himself, would be found nearby.

Arjun's brother-in-law, Jithin, who arrived at the site yesterday, has criticized the Karnataka authorities for delaying the search despite favourable weather conditions. He claimed that the search was scheduled for the morning but did not commence until much later in the day. Jithin warned that the family is considering staging a protest in Shirur if further delays occur. Arjun's sister, Anju, expressed hope that today's search will finally bring answers.