The body of six-year-old Devananda, who went missing on Thursday, was found in the river near her home inn Kollam on Friday morning. Diving experts retrieved her body from Ithikkara River that flows close to her home in Elavoor. Devananda, was a Grade 1 student at Saraswathi Vidya Nikethan School at Vakkanadu, Kollam. Police, Fire and Rescue officials had been searching for the girl after she went missing Thursday.
Social media too was abuzz with stories on the efforts to trace her. Many celebrities, including Mammootty, Mohanlal and Kunchacko Boban had shared Devananda's photo, urging people to help find the child. The child was at home when her mother Dhanya went to wash clothes. When the child followed her mother to the wash-room,she was asked to remain in the house and take care of her three-month old brother who was fast asleep. The door was unlocked. However, when Dhanya returned after 15 minutes, Devananda was nowhere to be seen. The probe was led by a special team, led by Chathanoor SP George Koshy.