Bhatkal: A mysterious ship bearing the name “Cochin Shipyard” washed ashore at Bhatkal’s Jali Beach late on Sunday night, drawing massive public attention and sparking speculation among locals. The abandoned vessel, with no crew members or lights on board, was first spotted by staff of Chai Tapri, a beachside café, around midnight on June 16.

Mohammed Talish, the café’s manager, immediately informed local police about the unusual sighting. Bhatkal Town PSI Naveen Naik. According to Naik, the ship had originally been connected to a streamer and was being towed to Mumbai when it got disconnected and eventually drifted to the Bhatkal shore.

Speaking to Vartha Bharati, PSI Naveen Naik clarified that the ship was not involved in any accident. “The vessel was being transported from Cochin Shipyard to Mumbai. It got detached from the streamer towing it, and the people onboard the streamer themselves were unaware of when the detachment occurred,” he said.

Naik further confirmed that an official intimation has been sent to the ship's owning company. “They have assured us that the ship will be retrieved while returning to Cochin from Mumbai,” he added.

Interestingly, PSI Naik mentioned that he was the first to spot the vessel during his night patrol. “Just a few minutes later, the staff from the café also informed us. There was no incident or collision at sea; it appears to be a simple case of detachment.”

By Tuesday evening, videos and photos of the ship had gone viral across local social media groups, prompting hundreds of curious residents to rush to the beach. The unexpected crowd led to a complete traffic jam in the area, forcing police to deploy additional personnel to manage both the crowd and vehicular movement.

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Bengaluru: A 34-year-old man from Dakshina Kannada’s Bantwal taluk died in a road accident near Kudlu gate in the city on Tuesday.

The deceased has been identified as Muhammad Haris (34), a resident of Allipade near Ajilamogaru in Bantwal taluk.

Harris worked as a mechanic at a private AC company in Bengaluru and got married six months ago.

The incident reportedly occurred when Haris was riding a bike to work along with a colleague, when a goods vehicle allegedly rammed the bike from behind.

Haris reportedly succumbed to his injuries at the stop. His colleague, an Odisha native who was riding pillion, sustained serious injuries and has been admitted to the hospital.

Haris’ body is at the mortuary of St. John’s Hospital, Koramangala, and will be sent to his hometown after the postmortem.

HSR layout traffic police have registered a case.