Kozhikode: A 58-year-old man died after accidentally falling into an overflowing drainage during heavy rain in Kozhikode on Sunday. The deceased is Kalathil Poyil Sasi from Kovoo here. 

He went missing after slipping into the drainage on Sunday night. Fire Force personnel recovered his body on Monday morning.

The man, waiting at a bus stop on MLA Road in Manalerithazham, accidentally slipped and fell into the drainage. Sasi and his friend had taken shelter at the bus stop when heavy rain lashed the area. His body was swept away to 1.5 kilometres from the accident spot.

Though Fire Force Personnel from Vellimadukkunnu and Medical College police launched a search on Sunday night, they were forced to cancel the operation due to adverse weather conditions. On Monday morning, some locals found Sasi's body in the drainage at Palazhi Athanikkal area around 7 am on Monday.

'We had planned to resume the search by 7 am on Monday. But, we got a call from the ward councillor saying that the residents spotted the body. The body might have stuck in the drainage when the water level went down as the rain stopped," said Vineesh, a senior fire and safety officer from the Vellimadukunnu station. 

The mortal remains have been shifted to the mortuary of  Kozhikode  Government Medical College Hospital for autopsy. 

Sasi is survived by his wife Chandrika, son Chithu Lal and daughter Aswathi. His last rites will be held at Mavoor road crematorium on Monday around 3 pm. 

This drainage connects the Chevayur and Kovoor areas to Mampuzha (river).

The fatal accident occurred when the Kozhikode district experienced heavy rain and strong wind accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning. The Kozhikode beach area recorded 41 mm of rainfall, while the Kunnamangalam area received 19 mm of rain.