A Class 10 student from Kerala, who had gone missing near the Manikyadhara Falls in Dattapeeth, was found dead on Friday after an intensive multi-agency search operation in Chikkamagaluru district of Karnataka, police said.
The girl, identified as Kumari Srinanda (15), a resident of Palakkad, went missing around 5:30 pm on Tuesday while visiting the falls with her family. She was part of a group of nearly 40 relatives who had travelled to the area for an outing.
Family members searched for her for nearly three hours before alerting authorities. Following the complaint, teams from the police and forest department launched a search operation in the surrounding hilly terrain.
After continuous efforts over three days, the body of the teenager was recovered on the fourth day from the Arishinaguppe mountain range in the Manikyadhara region. According to officials, the body was located at a steep depth of several hundred feet.
“The body has been retrieved and sent to the district hospital for post-mortem examination,” a police officer said.
Senior officials closely monitored the operation. Western Zone IGP Amit Singh visited the site and reviewed the situation, while District Superintendent of Police Jeetendra Kumar Dayama coordinated ground efforts.
The search operation involved more than 70 personnel from the police, forest, and fire departments. Advanced equipment, including dog squads, drones, and thermal imaging drones, was deployed to navigate the difficult terrain. The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) also joined the efforts.
Police have registered a case at the Chikkamagaluru Rural Police Station, and further investigation is underway to determine the exact circumstances surrounding the incident.
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