One of Kerala's Ernakulam district's young Delhi-based models, Divyanshu Joshi, died in a tragic accident in an abandoned stone quarry that had filled with water and had turned into a deep lake. Mudakuzha, where authorities have long feared death due to its depth and accidents, was one of the locations at Mudakuzha where the incident took place on May 28.
Joshi had travelled to Kerala with two friends from Delhi for the filming of an advertisement film for a Delhi-based textile company. The production started on Friday, but the trio arrived at the location a day earlier without notifying the local team for the project, police said.
Kodanad Police Station House Officer Sarin A.S. said the group had found the shooting site online and decided to visit the area ahead of time. Joshi entered the water while his friends filmed him.
The young model may have unknowingly walked into a dangerous part of the quarry, investigators say. The abandoned place was originally excavated in the shape of an inverted spiral pyramid, so that vehicles could navigate through different levels when quarrying was going on. Then the pit filled with water, producing a deep artificial lake with sudden drops in depth.
Police suspect Joshi slipped from one level into deeper water, making it difficult for him to return to safety. He drowned despite efforts to save him; his body was recovered later in the day and was sent for postmortem examination before being flown to Delhi on Friday evening.
The police have registered a case of unnatural death and are still investigating the circumstances of the tragedy.
Local officials said the abandoned quarry had long been identified as a hazardous site. Mudakuzha Panchayat President Shimy Varghese said there had been drowning incidents there in the past, and warning boards had been installed to keep people away.
She noted that the panchayat had not given permission for any advertisement shoot at the location and that officials only learned later that a production team intended to approach the local administration regarding filming activities.
The incident was more widely discussed on social media as influencer and content producer Otherwarya brought up questions about accountability and made the tragedy public. Kartik Research, a textile brand, issued a public statement about Joshi’s death.
In the company’s statement, Joshi was described as a valued colleague who had managed the Delhi store for the past two years with dedication and warmth. “He was very liked professionally in our family and will be greatly missed,” the company said.
The company also tried to clarify the reports of the incident and stated that Joshi was travelling to Kerala for a seasonal photo shoot and was not in any swimming-related activity as part of the production. Some media reports had mischaracterised the tragedy as it happened, according to our statement, said the company.
Kartik Research said it wanted to keep Joshi's life and memory intact and not speculation. The company did not want to comment further as it will not make any public statements and asked for privacy for his family, friends, and colleagues in this difficult time.
The tragic death of the young model has once again made public the dangers of abandoned quarries and unauthorised visits to dangerous places. Water-filled quarries may conceivably hide sudden drops and deep sections below the surface, and it's up to the public to be aware of warning signs and stay out of restricted and potentially unsafe areas.
