Udupi: Suspicion surrounds student's death due to drowning in lake

Udupi: Questions have arisen regarding the death of Siddharth Shetty, a resident of Lakshmindra Nagar, who drowned after falling into a lake in Karamballi. Suspicion has particularly been directed towards the friends who were with him at the time.

Siddharth, a student of Automobile Engineering in Manipal, dreamt of pursuing postgraduate studies in Germany and starting a career in automobile design.

The incident has cast doubt on the involvement of Siddharth’s friends—Shashvath Shetty (18), Hardik Shetty (18), and Darshan Poojary (19)—who were with him at the time. Shashvath, who had already discontinued his college education, has a record with the Brahmavara Police Station for reckless driving. Hardik and Darshan are currently studying engineering in other colleges.

Despite knowing that Siddharth could not swim, Shashvath allegedly persuaded him to go swimming. The incident occurred after 6 PM, yet none of his friends reportedly made an effort to save him. This has led Siddharth’s family to suspect Shashwat’s involvement in the tragedy. They have informed the police, who are conducting a further investigation.

Parental Caution Advised

Police said that parents are urged to be aware of their children’s friends and their backgrounds before allowing them to go on trips together. It is not uncommon for underlying enmities to result in tragic incidents. Many such cases have been reported where deaths have occurred under suspicious circumstances, but no thorough investigations have been conducted to determine whether the companions were involved. Siddharth’s parents have raised concerns, and the police are investigating the matter further.