26-year-old female doctor on trip with friends goes missing in Tungabhadra River

Koppal: What began as a joyful vacation with friends turned into a tragic nightmare for a 26-year-old woman doctor from Hyderabad when she was swept away by a strong force and undercurrent of the Tungabhadra River while swimming on Wednesday morning. A joint rescue operation is currently underway, with teams from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) working to locate her as early as possible.  

According to local media reports, she jumped from a 20-foot-high rock cliff into the river, where the strong current quickly overpowered her. Unable to maintain her balance, she lost control and was immediately swept away by the force of the water. 

Due to the rocky nature of the terrain and the water flowing over a distance of more than one kilometre, the organizing staff allegedly advised her against jumping, particularly since the water flow had risen following the dam's release. It is believed that she may have got trapped in the rocks after making the jump.

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A distressing video recorded by her friends shortly before her disappearance showed her getting ready to jump in for fun. A voice in the background can be heard counting down for her. After she entered the water, she briefly resurfaced but appeared to be struggling.

The doctor has been identified as Ananya Mohan Rao, working at VKC Hospital in Hyderabad. She was a resident of Nampally.

On Tuesday, Ananya went on a trip to Sanapur village with two of her friends. They were staying at a private guesthouse near the Tungabhadra River. The next morning on Wednesday, she decided to go swimming in the river and took her friends. According to the eyewitness, Ananya jumped into the river from a rock cliff, unaware of the strong undercurrents. Within moments, she was swept away by the force of the water, ETV Bharat reports.

Following this, the locals and the organizing staff immediately alerted the police and fire brigade. After reaching the spot, they launched a rescue operation with locals but even after more than a 10-hour-long search, they could not trace her. The operation was conducted till nightfall and later suspended due to darkness.

Today, the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) along with local steel plants and factories will work together for the rescue mission. They have been provided with equipment, including underwater cameras and the search will be also conducted using a drone camera.

Koppal Superintendent of Police Ram L Arasiddi told India Today, "The police were still searching for her, but could not confirm whether she survived or not. The fire department, police force, and local swimmers are continuing the search, but nothing has been found yet. We cannot confirm her death unless we recover the body. They were tourists from Hyderabad who had come to enjoy the river. Unfortunately, she was swept away by the strong current when she jumped.”

Speaking to TNIE, a tour operator from Sanapur said, “Ananya insisted on jumping without a life jacket, stating that she had done similar jumps before. The rock she jumped from is 20 feet high, and the water flow was strong. The organizers requested her to wear a life jacket, and while the staff was collecting the gear, she jumped. So far, there has been no trace of her."

An investigation is underway. Further details in this regard are awaited. 

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