THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: An unprecedented 47-hour rescue operation and many prayers went in vain after rescue workers found the body of missing labourer Joy on Monday morning. The dead body was found floating amidst garbage on the Thakaraparambu-Uppidamoodu road behind Sree Chithra home.

Around 6:30 in the morning, the fire force scuba team and navy personnel started the scientific inspection using sonar equipment in the tunnel. Meanwhile, the body was found about a kilometre away. It is expected that the heavy rain during the night might have increased the current flow in the tunnel, dragging the body to another one kilometre away. It was one bike rider passing through this road at 8 am on Monday, who first spotted the body floating amidst garbage.

Around 8:30, the corporation staff arrived and identified it as Joy. Later, the scuba team and the corporation employees brought out the dead body and shifted it to the medical college mortuary around 9:15.

At half past ten, Joy's brother and nephew reached the mortuary and identified the body. Forty-seven-year-old N.Joy is the son of Neshamani and Mary in Marayamuttam ‘Malancheruvu house’.

After the relatives identified the body, the authorities officially decided to end the rescue operation jointly conducted by the Fire Force, Navy and NDRF.

Police conducted an inquest and handed over the body to the relatives after the post-mortem. CK Harindran MLA, Mayor Arya Rajendran and Deputy Mayor PK Raju accompanied the dead body which was taken to Marayamuttom. After the public homage, the body was cremated in the home precincts at 3:30 pm, witnessed by a large crowd.