Intimidated by cops and their increasing attempt at moral policing, more and more youngsters from Bangalore are heading to the ‘Hippie island’ and glamourous resorts across the Tungabhadra river in Hampi, where they can party to their hearts’ content.
But what is disconcerting is that adventurous youngsters are meeting with different mishaps, falling prey to the hidden pits in the historic site.
In 2006-07, the Hampi police recorded 24 deaths. The figure rose to 36 in 2007-08, and this year (till March), 17 deaths have been recorded. The latest victim is popular DJ Bipin Kumar who got drowned on Friday.
“Most of these bodies are washed down by the river, but the accidents or willful deaths are taking place in the upstream, where the Tumgabhadra dam is situated,” says Bellary Deputy superintendent of police Jagdeesh. Some 40 per cent of the victims who died or injured are Bangaloreans. According to the Hampi police, many of the unnatural deaths also account for suicides.
The policemen say that many accidents happen because the visitors ignore warnings and go on their own at night or early dawn when life-guards are not present.
According to the tour operators, “These guys want to make the most of their holidays and go around the place, often giving safety a go-by,” says RN Puranik, a banker hailing from Hampi.
What is further worrying is that not only the party hopping youngsters, Hampi has been attracting a lot of anti-social elements as well.
In October 2007, the police picked up suspected Pak-trained militant Imran alias Bilal with a huge cache or arms and bombs and Bangalore’s city map. He was running a handicrafts shop right in front of Virupaksha temple for five years. Imran confessed to having undergone terror training in Pakistan. The then Chief Minister HD
Kumaraswamy disclosed that arrest foiled a plot to target the airport, ISRO, and Bangalore’s mascot, Infosys.
Many of the big hotels in this temple town are also the seat of illegal activities; but they escape the legal action as many of these places are owned by political bigwigs and moneybags, some from Andhra Pradesh and Mumbai.
Shiv Shankar, vice-president of Hotel Employees Federation of India (HEFOI), said “Four years ago, our manager in Hampi quit his high-paid job and started his own hotel and he is doing a roaring business. Our employees know a lot of things happening there, but they are so scared, they hardly speak to strangers.”
A managerial level employee of a medium hotel in Hampi told DNA, “If an impartial inquiry is conducted, you will get startling information on our netas and rich dons.”
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