Bodies of missing father, 2 children found in canal near KRS dam after 12 days

MYSURU: Twelve days after a father and his two children went missing, their bodies were found trapped inside a car that had fallen into the Visvesvaraya Canal near the KRS dam on Tuesday.
Police identified the deceased as Kumaraswamy (39) and his children, Advith (9) and Akshara (7), residents of Nelamangala. Authorities suspect Kumaraswamy may have taken the drastic step due to a domestic dispute, though the exact motive is still under investigation.
The incident came to light after the water level in the canal receded, and passers-by noticed a submerged car and alerted the jurisdictional KRS police. Officers, along with fire and emergency services personnel, retrieved the vehicle and the bodies.
Mandya Superintendent of Police Mallikarjun Baladandi said the trio had been missing since April 17. According to family members, Kumaraswamy’s phone had been switched off since 9 PM that night. A missing persons report was filed in Bengaluru Rural district two days later.
The car was pulled out early Tuesday from the canal near the north bank of the KRS dam. The location is not a regular travel route, leading police to suspect that Kumaraswamy deliberately drove into the canal, which was full at the time.
Kumaraswamy, a private firm employee and a native of KR Nagar, Mysuru, last spoke to his father at 9 PM on April 17, telling him he was on his way back after visiting the KRS dam. He was untraceable after that.
Sources said Kumaraswamy had previously left home with his children following a family dispute but had returned safely. His family believed he would come back again and had been waiting—until they were informed of the discovery.