Archive · 24 Sep 2026
Kerala Mother Burns Son’s Effigy After 55 Days Missing
A fishing boat in Kerala was hit by very high waves.
Fourteen people had been on the boat.
Eleven people managed to swim back to shore.
Gautam Krishna, his father and his grandfather could not.
The bodies of Gautam’s father and grandfather were found two days later.
Gautam’s body has still not been found after 55 days.
His mother, Reshma, made a wooden figure that looked like him.
She burned it as a way to mourn her son and because she had lost hope of finding him alive.
S. Reshma, 44, lit a wooden effigy resembling her missing son, Gautam Krishna.
Gautam, 26, has been missing for 55 days after a fishing boat capsized.
The boat carried 14 people when high waves engulfed it on July 31.
Eleven fishermen reached shore, while Gautam, his father and grandfather did not.
Reshma said she had lost hope and questioned the search operations’ effectiveness.
- Who
- S. Reshma mourned her missing son, Gautam Krishna, who was one of three family members lost at sea.
- What
- Reshma lit a wooden effigy resembling Gautam after he remained missing for 55 days.
- When
- The effigy was lit on Wednesday; the boat capsized while returning from fishing on July 31.
- Where
- The incident occurred in Kollam district, Kerala.
- Why
- Reshma said she had lost hope of Gautam returning alive and wanted to mark her mourning.
- Missing person
- Gautam Krishna, 26
- Mother
- S. Reshma, 44
- Time missing
- 55 days
- Fishing trip
- The group went fishing on July 31
- People aboard
- 14 people
- Survivors
- 11 people swam ashore
- Family members lost
- Gautam, his father Radhakrishnan and grandfather U. Rajeevan
- Search efforts
- Coastal police and marine enforcement operations were reported