Mangaluru: Budding film
director Santosh Shetty Kateel drowned at Ermayi
Falls in Ujire, Belthangady taluk on Wednesday.
Santosh, who was wearing a specially designed costume, accidentally
slipped into the falls while he and his team were there for a photo-shoot. He had won laurels for his children movie, ‘Kanasu - Kannu Teredaga’.
Police said he and four others planned a photo-shoot for his upcoming children’s, Kannada movie, ‘Gandhada Kudi, Chandan Van’, for which 90% of the shooting was complete. The group reached Ujire on Tuesday evening. On Wednesday morning, they left for the shoot at Ermayi Falls, which was full of water due to incessant rain. They reached the spot around 8.30am.
According to sources, a local person called Surendra reportedly warned the team not to get into the water but they ignored his warning. The crew started work on the shoot and Shetty who was supposed to wear a special costume made of metal which made him look like a robot. The plot involved Shetty standing in the flowing water.
He reportedly slipped into the water, got washed away and drowned between 10.15am and 10.30am. His body was spotted by Surendra around 12.30pm and retrieved.
Shetty had a degree in animation and worked in local TV channels as an animator before getting into film-making.
Police said they booked a case under Indian Penal Code Section 304(a) (whoever causes the death of any person by any rash or negligent act not amounting to culpable homicide) against four persons who accompanied him to the falls without obtaining necessary permission. A case was registered at Belthangady police station.