Mystery shrouds death of class 9 boy found dead in pond in Dakshina Kannada

Mangaluru ;A pall of mystery surrounds the death of a 15-year-old schoolboy whose body was found in a pond in Belthangady taluk of Dakshina Kannada district on Tuesday. The deceased has been identified as Sumanth, a Class 9 student and a resident of Kuvettu village. Police have launched a comprehensive investigation, as several suspicious circumstances have emerged surrounding the incident.

According to the police, Sumanth, son of Subrahmanya Naik of Sambolya Baramelu near Kuvettu, used to leave home early in the morning during the Dhanurmasa period to visit a nearby temple. As usual, he woke up around 4 am on Tuesday and left home, saying he was going to the temple. However, when he failed to reach the temple, his friends contacted his brother Sudarshan around 6.30 am, asking why Sumanth had not turned up.

Alarmed by this, family members began searching for him. Sumanth was known to walk to the roadside and then take his bicycle, which he usually parked at a particular spot before heading to the temple. When the family reached the location, they found the bicycle still parked there, raising suspicion. During the search, bloodstains were found on the ground, which led to a stone near a pond with visible blood marks.

The fire and emergency services were alerted, and after a search operation, Sumanth’s body was recovered from the pond. Initial speculation suggested that the boy might have fallen into the pond while running away after being chased by dogs, or that he could have been attacked by a leopard, as the region has reported wildlife movement in the past.

However, police later noticed two injury marks on the upper part of the boy’s head, resembling blows from a sharp weapon. This has intensified suspicions of foul play. Dakshina Kannada Superintendent of Police Dr Arun visited the spot and inspected the scene. A dog squad was also pressed into service as part of the investigation.

Police officials said the exact cause of death will be determined after the post-mortem report. “We are probing the case from all possible angles. No theory has been ruled out at this stage,” the district police superintendent said.

The tragic death has left the village in shock, with residents demanding a thorough and transparent investigation.