Miscreants Allegedly Poison Hemavati River

Chikkamagaluru: A grim sight has shaken locals near Banakal village in Mudigere taluk, where thousands of fish have turned up dead, floating along the Hemavati River’s banks and surface. The mass die-off, stretching over a 2-kilometer stretch, has residents pointing fingers at unknown culprits who allegedly dumped poison into the water.

With the river feeding into the Gorur Dam in Hassan and serving as a drinking source for numerous villages, fears are mounting over potential health risks to humans. The incident has spurred urgent calls for justice, with locals pressing the government, forest department, and pollution control board to crack down hard.

The locals have raised concerns that this act is a cheap tactic for commercial fish sales. The sight of lifeless fish bobbing in the water has only deepened their resolve to see the offenders held accountable.

Authorities suspect the use of a toxic substance, possibly natural or a chemical poison. Theories suggest this was a calculated move to harvest fish on the cheap, but it’s left an ecological mess in its wake. The scale of the carnage has painted a stark picture of destruction, leaving villagers both stunned and furious at the reckless act.