Tragedy struck Husenapura village in Chintamani taluk of Chickballapur district on Saturday when a 60-year-old man and his two grandchildren drowned in an agricultural pond. The deceased have been identified as Muninarayanappa, and Ashwin, 10, and Prajwal, 11.

According to family members, Muninarayanappa used to visit the Anjaneya Swamy temple located on his land every Saturday. On Saturday morning, he left home for the temple along with his two grandchildren.

When they did not return by evening, concerned relatives tried contacting them over the phone, but received no response. Family members and villagers subsequently began searching the surrounding agricultural fields.

During the search, the bodies of the three were found floating in an agricultural pond belonging to a farmer identified as Ashwathappa, near the temple. The family immediately informed the police.

The Chintamani Rural Police visited the spot and conducted an initial inspection. The bodies were subsequently recovered from the pond and shifted to the Chintamani Government Hospital mortuary for post-mortem.

Preliminary suspicion is that the two children may have accidentally slipped into the water while playing near the pond. Muninarayanappa may have entered the pond in an attempt to rescue them but was unable to save them due to the depth of the water, it is suspected.

The family has also raised the possibility of an electrical accident, as electricity wires and a pump set are reportedly located near the agricultural pond.