Kollam: Tributes have been pouring in for Devananda, the six-year-old girl whose body was recovered from Ithikkara River in Kollam on Friday morning.
Devananda went missing on Thursday morning. The police launched a massive combing operation after her family raised suspicion about the incident. Social media was abuzz with the efforts to trace her. Many celebrities, including film stars Mammootty, Mohanlal and Kunchako Boban, had appealed the people to help find the girl.
But all the efforts went in vain with the recovery her body in the river near her home.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan condoled Devananda's death. "Kerala launched a co-ordinated effort to trace Devananda. But all of us were shocked when her body was found in Ithikkara River. I express my deepest condolences to her family in this hour of grief," he wrote on his Facebook page.
Film star Mammootty posted Devananda's photo with a message: 'Condolences'.
'The search and prayers that the whole land together conducted failed.. Devananda bids farewell... Condolences," wrote film star Kunchako Boban on his Facebook page.
N K Premachandran, Member of Parliament from Kollam, said there was nothing suspicious in the girl's death. "There was nothing suspicious in Devananda's death," he said.
Minister EP Jayarajan, BJP State President K Surendran also expressed their condolences on Facebook.
"I was pained to hear the death of Devananda. The entire Kerala was shocked to hear the news. I express my condolences," Minister E P Jayarajan wrote on Facebook.
Devananda, also known as Ponnu, was a Grade 1 student at Saraswathi Vidya Nikethan School at Vakkanadu, Kollam.
The Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Rights took suo motu cognisance of the matter.