Ankola: The body of Arjun, a man who went missing after the devastating landslide in Shiroor, is expected to reach his home in Kerala by either Friday evening or Saturday morning. DNA samples from the body were sent to the Hubli Regional Lab for verification. Manjeswaram MLA A K M Ashraf stated that the lab director indicated the results could be ready within 18 hours. Arjun’s brother-in-law, Jithin, mentioned that the police expect the results to be available by Friday afternoon. If everything goes smoothly, the post-mortem will be completed, allowing the body to be transported home as early as Friday evening.
The Karnataka Government is ensuring a seamless process for the return of Arjun’s body. A Karnataka Police ambulance will accompany the body on its journey back to Kerala. Currently, the body is being held at the Karwar district hospital mortuary. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has confirmed that the Kerala government will bear all costs associated with transporting the body. Additionally, a Malayali resident from Gujarat has arrived in Shiroor with an ambulance to assist in bringing the body back.
Arjun’s body was discovered along with the lorry he was driving in the Gangavali river on Wednesday at 3 pm. The lorry was eventually brought ashore around 10 am on Thursday using two cranes, a process that took about 90 minutes. Inside the lorry, another bone fragment believed to be Arjun’s was found and sent for examination.
Several personal belongings were recovered from the scene, including Arjun’s clothes, mobile phones, kitchen utensils, a blanket, a toy lorry for his son, and other personal items, all of which have been taken as part of the investigation.
