A 14-year-old student from Palakkad, Kerala, has died after disappearing during a family excursion to the Chandradrona hill range in Chikkamagaluru district, Karnataka.
Sri Nanda was a Class 10 student who was travelling with approximately 40 relatives. She was last seen near the Manikyadhara viewpoint on the evening of April 7, as reported by NDTV.
Also Read | Shocking conspiracy in Bihar: Accused allegedly sought CIA funds to target PM Modi
Search teams combed steep terrain and deep ghat sections over four days. They ultimately recovered her body from a valley roughly 1,500 feet below the point where she was last spotted. Police are currently investigating the circumstances of her death.
NDTV further reported that the family's trip had included a visit to the UNESCO World Heritage Site at Hampi before arriving in Chikkamagaluru at 3 pm on April 7. They travelled by private jeep to a shrine and then proceeded on foot toward a tourist spot in the Chandradrona hills.
As daylight faded around 6 pm, Sri Nanda could no longer be located, despite having been recorded on video with a family member earlier that afternoon. When family members failed to find her independently, a formal police complaint was filed.
Search and investigation
The report of NDTV also stated that authorities immediately launched a search operation. Teams were deployed into difficult terrain using ropes to reach steep and inaccessible sections, while thermal cameras and drones were also deployed during night operations. No clues emerged initially, which raised suspicions. Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara acknowledged that multiple theories are under examination.
Also Read | 12 arrested as Delhi Police bust fake roadside assistance scam run from central city call centre
"One argument is that the girl was kidnapped, while another suggests she may have gone away with someone," he said, adding that the truth would emerge as the probe continues. Police have seized the mobile phones of her parents as part of the inquiry, and authorities are verifying whether she slipped from the mountain or whether other factors were involved.
A pattern of trekking incidents
The case follows a separate incident involving GS Sharanya, a 36-year-old IT professional from Kerala. She became stranded for four days in a dense forest near Thadiyandamol peak in Kodagu after separating from her trekking group on April 2. She survived on water alone before being rescued, as cited by NDTV.
