Kerala Governor Comforts Family of Sanitation Worker Lost in Canal Tragedy

Kerala's Governor Arif Mohammed Khan visited the family of N Joy, a sanitation worker who died after slipping into a Thiruvananthapuram canal. Despite efforts from rescue teams, his body was found 46 hours later. Heavy rains and solid waste hindered the recovery operations.

Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan on Tuesday paid a visit to and consoled the family of N Joy, a sanitation worker who tragically lost his life after disappearing while cleaning a canal.

On Monday, officials reported that a body believed to be that of the missing sanitation worker was found after approximately 46 hours. Councilor Rajendran of Thiruvananthapuram Corporation confirmed that Joy's body was discovered behind the Sree Chitra Home at Thakarapparambu and notified both police and local authorities.

Joy had vanished amid heavy rainfall on July 13 while working at Amayazhinchan Thodu near Thampanoor Central Railway Station and was swept into an underground canal. Rescue teams, including the Fire Force, National Disaster Response Force, and Indian Navy, combed the area. Despite employing scuba divers and robotic cameras, excessive waste and darkness within the canal severely hampered the search operations.

Scuba diver Vojin M, involved in the rescue mission, expressed the difficulties faced, stating, "We are currently operating at the third platform. However, due to excessive waste and low water levels, diving deep into the canal is next to impossible." He also highlighted the challenges posed by pitch darkness inside the canal, even with technology-assisted searches.