A young couple was found in a critical condition near the forested area of Kokkada, close to Nelyadi, on Sunday night after reportedly consuming poison. Locals who spotted the duo lying by the roadside immediately rushed them to the hospital.

The couple has been identified as Sreesha and Prajwal, residents of Yelahanka in Bengaluru. They were initially admitted to the Puttur Government Hospital via ambulance and later shifted to Mangaluru for advanced treatment, sources confirmed.

Preliminary reports suggest that the two had traveled from Bengaluru to Dharmasthala and were returning on Sunday night. They alighted from a bus at Kokkada before the incident occurred. Further details regarding the circumstances and motive are yet to emerge.