Army man drowns in Chaliyar river in Kerala; the body was recovered after hours of searching

The body of a 32-year-old soldier who went missing in the Chaliyar river on Sunday was recovered by a joint search and rescue team near Oorkadav in Kozhikode district on Monday morning.

The deceased was identified as Sudheesh, a native of Peruvajal. He was a member of the Madras Engineering Group (MEG) of the Indian Army and was on leave from October 14.

According to officials, the incident took place near the Oorkadav regulator-cum-bridge on Sunday around 4 pm when Sudheesh was throwing a fishing net into the river. He reportedly lost his balance and slipped into the water.

A multi-agency rescue operation was launched involving personnel from Mavoor, Mukkam, Vellimadukunnu and Perambra Fire and Rescue Service stations along with local boat operators. Units of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and specialized scuba diving teams have also been pressed into service to navigate the deep waters.

Search operations faced hurdles on Sunday evening as all the shutters of the regulator-cum-bridge were open, creating dangerous currents. In addition, heavy downpours in the basins have turned the water in the river murky and murky, limiting underwater visibility for divers. Due to the high risk and darkness, traffic was temporarily suspended around 10pm on Sunday.

The search resumed at 8am on Monday and a diving team from the Mavoor fire station recovered the body shortly afterwards.

After the investigation procedures were completed, the body was taken to the hospital for an autopsy.

Published – 26 Oct 2026 12:22 IST