Tragic Incident at Abandoned Quarry Sparks Safety Concerns
The death of Delhi-based model Divyanshu Joshi during a location recce for fashion label Kartik Research at an abandoned quarry in Kerala has raised fresh questions about safety oversight on production shoots. According to local officials, the quarry had been shut for more than 20 years after multiple fatalities. No permission was obtained to access the site, and the area lacked basic safety precautions despite its known risks. Meanwhile, the brand maintains that inaccurate accounts of the event have been circulating online.
No Permission Sought for Shoot at Closed Quarry
According to Shaimy Varghese, President of the Mudakkuzha Grama Panchayat, no permission was sought to conduct a shoot at the quarry, which has remained closed for over two decades. “It has been closed for over 20 years. A gate was installed in 2017 after a few deaths were reported there. The land belongs to the Revenue Department, and we only manage the gate through a person assigned to oversee it,” Varghese said. Reports indicate that at least three people had died in the Pettamala stone quarry in 2017. Varghese added, “The gate was found open, but we are not sure how it was opened; it may have been forced open. From what I understand based on conversations that day, they had come to inspect the location, and the shoot was scheduled for the next day.”
Lack of Safety Measures in Accident-Prone Area
Kodanad Police Station SHO Sarin AS said the area, which consists of several abandoned quarries, lacks basic safety measures and warning signs despite being accident-prone. “This area is located about 30 kms north of Kochi and comprises several abandoned quarries. There used to be a gate, which was locked earlier, but now people frequent the area to hang out. It can be an accident-prone area, but there are no safety precautions or warning signboards. Locals wash clothes in some sections. At present, we have statements from two people who were at the spot during the incident. They were taking videos when he entered the water to swim.” Local police could not confirm reports that founder Kartik Kumra entered the water to search for Joshi, stating, “It is not clear if anyone jumped in to rescue him. The Fire and Rescue Services later recovered the body from the quarry pool.”
Brand Clarifies Incident Was Not a Shoot
According to the FIR, Joshi had travelled to Kerala for an advertisement shoot. In an email to The Voice of Fashion, Kartik Research said the team had completed a shoot in Kochi before traveling to the quarry for a location recce, and that no filming took place at the site. The statement added that founder Kartik Kumra and the campaign director were present, and that the team had checked with Joshi and confirmed that he could swim. The quarry was not a confirmed shooting location, no filming activity was taking place there, and no production setup or shoot had commenced at the site. As per sources, Joshi supposedly entered the water, came out, and subsequently re-entered, slipping into a deeper portion of the quarry. A police complaint was filed by Rajeev Neelakantan of Kochi-based Rubberband Productions, the local production company engaged for the assignment.
Kartik Research Issues Statement
Kartik Research issued a clarification, stating that Divyanshu was in Kerala for a seasonal photo shoot and was not engaged in any swimming-related activity as part of the production. “For the past two years, Divyanshu led our Delhi store with warmth, dedication, and generosity... As inaccurate accounts of this tragedy continue to circulate, we wish to clarify that Divyanshu was in Kerala as part of a seasonal photo shoot and was not participating in any swimming-related activity as part of the production. Some public reports have mischaracterised the circumstances of the incident.” The post further stated, “We are sharing this clarification so that the focus remains on honouring his life and memory. We will not be making any further public comment and ask that the privacy of those close to him be respected at this difficult time.”
About Kartik Research
Kartik Research (formerly Karu Research) is a contemporary menswear and craft-focused fashion label founded by designer Kartik Kumra in 2021. The brand is based in Delhi and New York. It made its official runway debut at Paris Men’s Fashion Week in July 2024. The brand was a semi-finalist at the LVMH Prize in both 2023 and 2026. Public figures like Lewis Hamilton, Paul Mescal and NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani have worn the brand’s creations.
