Five people, including four women from the same family, drowned in the Cauvery River near Muthathi in Karnataka's Mandya district (Express photo/Special arrangement. Image enhacecd using AI).A family outing to a temple ended in tragedy when five people, including four women from the same family, drowned in the Cauvery River near Muthathi in Karnataka’s Mandya district Wednesday evening. This was after a desperate rescue attempt went wrong in an area marked by deceptive depths and strong underwater currents.The victims, Chaitra, 20, Shwetha, 38, Vijayamma, 50, Priyanka, 28, and Mahesh, the driver of the rented vehicle they had travelled in, were natives of Channapatna and residents of Bengaluru’s Byadarahalli area.According to the police, six family members, including a four-year-old child, travelled to Mandya district for a pilgrimage. The group first visited the Kabbalamma Temple and later reached the Muthathiraya Temple at Muthathi around 4 pm. After offering prayers, they went to the nearby Cauvery River, said the police.Speaking to The Indian Express, Shobha Rani, Superintendent of Police, said the group entered the water after the temple visit, believing it was shallow. Home Guards stationed at the spot reportedly warned them not to venture further into the river.Also Read | 6 family members drown in Cauvery river during Urus gathering in Mysuru“They entered the water and were taking pictures. The water was only around knee-deep at the edge, and they ventured further, underestimating the depth and the strength of the current,” Rani said.The police said Vijayamma was the first to slip into a deeper section of the river and began struggling in the current. Chaitra and the others reportedly rushed in to rescue her, but they, too, were caught in the strong current and swept away.Another family member, Ravi, attempted to save the victims but was pulled out by local residents and survived. The four-year-old child escaped unharmed, said the police.Story continues below this adFire and Emergency Services personnel, assisted by local residents, launched a search operation and recovered all five bodies by around 7.30 pm. The bodies were later shifted to Mandya Institute of Medical Sciences (MIMS) Hospital for post-mortem examinations.The police from the Halagur station registered a case and initiated an investigation. Further inquiries are underway.