BELAGAVI: Four brothers drowned in Krishna river at Haliyal village in Belagavi’s Athani taluk on Monday. They were washing clothes and one of them swept away in the river which was in spate. The others too drowned while trying to save him, said SP Laxman Nimbaragi. According to sources, they were washing clothes together, as part of an annual ritual wherein the laundry of all members of the family is done in one go. NDRF and police personnel are searching to trace the bodies.