Shirur: Underwater search expert Eshwar Malpe called off the search operation for missing Kozhikode native Arjun in Gangavali river here, stating that his team is returning due to a lack of cooperation from the police and authorities here.
Malpe said they were not granted permission to conduct underwater searches, which forced him to withdraw from the operation. He also apologised to Arjun's family for the halt in the search.
According to Malpe, the district administration and police had maintained that underwater searches could not be carried out near the area where a dredger is being used to remove mud as part of the ongoing investigation. The Goa-based company that provided the dredger had also sent a driver to Shirur.
The authorities had advised that the search for Arjun and others missing in the landslide should be conducted solely using government-appointed mechanisms. This recommendation prompted Malpe's team to call off their mission. There had been differences of opinion from the beginning between the Shirur district administration and Malpe's team. On Saturday, Malpe spotted some vehicle parts in the riverbed. But Arjun's truck owner Manaf and Manjeshwar MLA AKM Ashraf confirmed that none of the parts belonged to Arjun's truck.
Arjun, a truck driver disappeared from the riverbank in Shirur following a massive landslide on July 16. Even after a 13-day-long search in land and water, there was no clue about Arjun. Meanwhile, Uttara Kannada district authority confirmed that no human presence was detected in the riverbed during the search using various devices. However, the district authority decided to resume the search after the Karnataka High Court ordered the state government to resume the search.