Dharwad: Residents of Morab village, located around 30 kilometres away from Hubli, have refused to drink water from a lake after a suspected HIV-positive woman allegedly committed suicide by jumping into it a week ago. Unable to reassure the locals, authorities are now draining the 36-acre lake and planning to refill it with water from the Malaprabha canal.

The body of the woman was found on November 29, after which word spread that the water has been contaminated. Villagers refused to drink the water and insisted that the gram panchayat and Navalgund taluk administration drain the lake.