Shirur: After a 72-day-long search operation, the truck belonging to Kozhikode native Arjun was recovered from the Gangavali River on Wednesday. A body found inside the truck's cabin was suspected to be that of Arjun and will be confirmed after DNA tests are conducted. The search team found the truck in one of the four points shortlisted in the river.
The Karnataka government and police vigorously stepped up their efforts to find Arjun and his truck after his family and the Kerala government complained that the rescue operation was ineffective. Meanwhile, incessant rain and strong undercurrents delayed the search operation.
Here's a timeline of the 72-day-long search operation:
July 16 - A section of the NH 66 in Shirur, Ankola, of Uttara Kannada district in Karnataka, collapsed in a landslide, washing away Arjun, Ankola-based Jaganath Naik and Lokesh, and their vehicles. Three tankers, a lorry and a car, were parked on the roadside when the accident occurred.
The district administration received information from the District Disaster Management Officer, and the Karnataka government deployed one NDRF team and 34 rescuers to the spot.
July 19 - The Kerala government and the media got involved after his brother told news channels that the search operation was being carried out for namesake and that no serious work was happening. A massive solidarity campaign was launched for Arjun.
July 20 - During radar inspection, three signals were picked up from the landslide spot. A search conducted in the area based on the GPS location gave hope.
July 21 - Arjun's family wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, stating that the search operation was progressing slowly. A 40-member team from the Army base in Belgaum joined the operations. Around 98 per cent of debris that fell on the road was removed. The Army confirmed that there was no trace of the truck on land.
July 22 - Search moved to the Gangavali River. An 18-member volunteer team from Kozhikode reached Shirur to join the operation. The LPG bullet tanker found in the river is brought to the shore.
July 23 - The search team received a sonar signal from the same spot in the river it got a radar signal. During the search, the team recovered the body of Sanni Hanumantha, a woman who went missing in the landslide 12 km from the site of the incident.
July 24 - The Karnataka government told the High Court there were no delays in launching a search for Arjun.
July 25 - A drone operation held under the supervision of Retd Major General Indrabalan found Arjun's truck was likely to be in the downstream area of Gangavali River.
July 26 - Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan wrote to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh requesting the deployment of more Army personnel to find Arjun.
July 27 - The Indian Navy zeroed in on four spots where the drone team captured metallic and radio frequency signatures.
July 28 - Underwater rescuer and recovery expert Eshwar Malpe was roped in to locate missing bodies; fishermen also joined the mission.
July 30 - Experts from the Thrissur Agricultural University reached Shirur to examine the feasibility of bringing a dredger. Their study found that a search using a dredger was possible.
July 31 - The first phase of the operation was suspended due to incessant rain and high water currents in the Gangavali River. After the Kerala government protested the decision, Karnataka promised to resume the search once the weather was favourable.
August 1 - Seventeen days after the incident, vehicles were allowed to pass through the national highway in Shirur.
August 3 - It was decided not to bring the dredger from Thrissur. Eshwar Malpe said he was ready to search the waters for Arjun on the day of the new moon when the water level would be low.
August 4 - The weather in Shirur was unfavourable; police refused to let Eshwar Malpe enter the river.
August 7 - Arjun's wife was promised a job in a cooperative bank. She was temporarily appointed as a junior clerk.
August 10 - The second phase of the search operation for Arjun got underway as the currents became favourable.
August 13 - The search team recovered the lorry's hydraulic jack and wooden door.
August 14 - Lorry owner Manaf confirmed that the rope recovered by the Navy was in his vehicle.
August 15 - Divers from Thiruvegappura and Pailipuram joined Eshwar Malpe in his mission.
August 28 - Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah assured Arjun's family that the search would continue and that a dredger would be brought in from Goa.
September 17 & 18 - A dredger was brought to Karwar from Goa harbour with the help of tugboats.
September 20 - Search for Arjun and two others resumed with a dredger.
September 21 - The steering wheel, clutch, and tyre parts were recovered from the river. At first, they were thought to be parts of Arjun's lorry, but later, it was confirmed otherwise.
September 22 - A piece of bone was recovered from the river. Eshwar Malpe called off the search and returned following differences in opinion with the district administration.
September 23 - Retd. Major General Indrabalan and team members who received technical training reached Shirur and resumed the search for Arjun.
September 25 - Arjun's lorry was found, and parts of a body, suspected to be his, were found in the vehicle cabin.