A major search and rescue effort has been launched in the dense forests of the Western Ghats after a 24-year-old trekker from Kerala went missing yesterday when she was leading a trek. Sharanya G.S. was hiking the Tadiandamol peak, the highest point in Kodagu district, and went missing yesterday afternoon.
Separated from the Group
Sharanya had traveled alone from Kerala and was staying with her family in a private homestay in Kakkabe village. On Thursday she expressed a desire to trek the challenging Tadiandamol trail. As wild elephants are very frequent, homestay staff advised her not to go alone and arranged for her to join a group of nine other trekkers.
Sharanya was behind the group until 2:30 PM and played with some local dogs, the reports said. By the time the other trekkers realized she was missing, she had lost contact and wandered off the marked trail.
A Desperate Last Call
In a somber development, Sharanya managed to make a brief phone call to the homestay owner late Thursday afternoon, saying she lost her way and was unable to find the trail back. She lost her mobile phone just after the call and was not able to contact anyone, probably because of the poor connection and low battery in the high-altitude terrain.
The search efforts so far:
- Personnel: Over 50 personnel from the Forest Department and Karnataka Police are currently combing the ridges.
- Duration: Search teams worked through the night until 3:00 AM on Friday but found no trace of the young woman.
- Special units: Four teams, including a dog squad, have been deployed to pick up her scent near the site where she was last seen.
The disappearance has created great anxiety among the police and local authorities. The Tadiandamol hills are now covered with heavy rain clouds and mist, severely reducing visibility for the search teams. In addition, the area is known to be a corridor for wild elephants, adding a physical hazard to the search mission.
The local Kudiya tribal community living in the foothills has offered special prayers and 'Harake' (vows) to their deity Male Tammacha, praying for Sharanya’s safe return.
As of Friday afternoon, the search is still on. Nearby streams and valleys are also being searched because authorities are concerned that she may have slipped down due to the damp conditions.
