Mangaluru: While swimming in pools is a familiar sport, swimming in the open sea is an adventure. Embracing this adventure, the Mangalore Surf Club is set to organise the third edition of its international sea swimming championship, ‘Den Den,’ on January 26 at Tannirbhavi Beach.

The championship, which has been conducted for the past two years, has witnessed growing participation with each edition. Preparations for the event are already underway, as the organisers expect a significant rise in the number of swimmers this year.

National-level swimmers from various parts of the country will take part in the competition, which will be held in the sea waters off Tannirbhavi Beach at Surf Club Beach (Tannirbhavi Beach-1).

Karthik Narayan, Secretary of the Mangalore Surf Club, said around 200 swimmers participated in the second edition last year, while nearly 400 competitors are expected to take part this year.

The club has already started preparations for the sporting event, with the championship pulling in a larger number of swimmers every year.

Olympian Gagan Ullal of the Mangalore Surf Club, who represented India at the London Olympics, is heading the technical committee for this year’s Den Den Swimming Competition.

Given that the event is being held in open sea waters, the Indian Coast Guard will extend its cooperation for security and safety measures, as in previous years. Along with trained lifeguards, the Coast Guard will be responsible for ensuring the safety of swimmers and preventing interference from fishing boats or other vessels during the competition.

Organisers said the Den Den Swim Campaign is conducted with a strong emphasis on sea safety and awareness.

The competition will be conducted with the main objective of ensuring the safety of sea water. It commences at 6.30 am and conclude at 9.30 am.

Highlighting the new additions this year, Karthik Narayan said that while last year’s event featured races of 500 metres, 2 km, 4 km and 6 km, an 8 km sea swim has been introduced in this edition.

He also noted that while three international swimmers participated last year, the organisers are expecting around 10 international swimmers to compete this time.

Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.



Shivpuri (PTI): The 60-year-old mother of a rape accused was killed allegedly by the victim's brother in Madhya Pradesh's Shivpuri district, a police official said on Saturday.

The incident took place on Friday, Rannod police station house officer (SHO) Arvind Chauhan said.

"An anganwadi worker returning from a hospital was offered a lift by one Inder Gurjar, who took her to a secluded spot and raped her. She called up her brothers to narrate the ordeal. One brother of the victim along with two associates went to Gurjar's house and assaulted him. When Gurjar's mother Sirkunwarbai (60) intervened, she was attacked with a sharp weapon. She died on the spot," he said.

Based on a complaint filed by the deceased woman's daughter-in-law, three persons were booked for murder. One of them was held on Saturday, the official added.

A separate case has also been registered against Gurjar for rape, he said.

Police personnel have been deployed in the area in view of tension following the incident, the official added.