Authorities of Sri Revanna Siddeshwara Engineering College, five of whose students drowned in a quarry pit on Thursday, claim to have warned all students against venturing into the site. The quarry site is about four km away from the college.
“We have informed their parents about the incident. All the students were studying in the fourth semester (electronics and communication). It is sad to say this, but parents send their children here to pursue engineering by taking loans and students commit such mistakes,” a senior officer of the college said.
Arun Chandra Shetty was a resident of Vidyaranyapura and Nanda Kumar was resident of Amruthalli. Rajesh and Kem Patai were from Nepal, and lived here in a hostel near the college.
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The pond is used by local people for washing clothes and there is no warning board at the quarry site. Locals don’t know whether it is legal or illegal quarry.
Police said that only two of the five knew swimming. One of the students, who did not know swimming, started drowning and the others tried to rescue him. When all of them started drowning, the three remaining students raised an alarm and sought help from passersby.
The Chikkajala police have taken the three students into custody for questioning to rule out foul play.
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The bodies have been shifted for post-mortem, a senior police officer said.