Hans News Service Rajamahendravaram

Thewhereabouts of two family members of Pithapuram Panchayat Raj Assistant Engineer T Nookaraju, who died by suicide after jumping into the Godavari, remain unknown even as search operations continued for the fourth consecutive day on Thursday.

Nookaraju, his wife Meena, daughter Soujanya and two other family members reportedly jumped into the river after midnight on Sunday. Karthikeya Reddy (10), Nookaraju’s grandson, was rescued alive by fishermen soon after the incident. Nookaraju’s body was recovered near the Dhobighat area on Monday night.

However, his wife Meena (59) and daughter Soujanya (34) are yet to be traced. Search teams have been scouring different stretches of the Godavari, with fishermen and rescue personnel joining the efforts. The search has continued despite difficulties caused by the rain, river current and the vast area to be covered. Teams of the State Rescue Force, fishermen and Fire Department personnel continued an intensive search from the Dhobighat area in Rajamahendravaram to the Dowleswaram barrage. The search was briefly disrupted by rain. As nearly three days had passed since the family members entered the river, rescue teams were also using drones to scan stretches where the bodies could have been caught in vegetation or other obstructions. The body of T Nookaraju was handed over to his relatives after completion of the postmortem and his last rites were performed at the crematorium in Dowleswaram on Wednesday.

Cases have been registered against rifle shooting coach Sadiq Khan at the Rajamahendravaram and Kakinada police stations in connection with the alleged harassment of Nookaraju’s family. Police said Sadiq Khan was currently absconding and that further progress in the investigation was expected after his arrest. The search for Meena and Soujanya was continuing in the Godavari, with rescue personnel focusing on downstream stretches and possible spots where the bodies could have become trapped.