A man has reportedly died after attempting to climb partway down a waterfall to pose for a dramatic photograph.
Mobile phone footage showed Ramjan Usman Kagji slipping and falling 170ft into the river below the famous Gokak Falls in the Indian state of North Karnataka on Saturday.
Mr Kagji and his brother, Faruq, who has since been arrested, were allegedly drinking with friends during a picnic at the tourist destination.
Eyewitnesses said visitors tried to stop the brothers, from nearby Ghataprabha, clambering near the edge of the cliff, but were told they were “not afraid of anything”, according to the Times of India.
A team of divers were dispatched to look for the body and police have tightened security to stop tourists from approaching the waterfall.
A police officer told the New Indian Express: “Both brothers Ramjan and Faruq were under the influence of alcohol when the incident happened.
“While Ramjan fell to his death, Faruq was stopped by the locals. He has been arrested and a case has been filed against him.”
“We are planning to erect poles along the edge of the falls so that people may not risk their life to view the waterfalls,” the officer said. “The Ghataprabha dam may release water this month end and waterfalls will come back to its glory.
“This will attract a large number of tourists and we want to put the safety measures in place before that. We will hold talks with the Gokak Mills authorities and the City Municipal Council heads to implement the plan.”
Police records reportedly revealed 19 people have died at the site in the last five years, including suicides and accidental falls.
