Missing Kerala Teen Found Dead In Chikkamagaluru Gorge After Massive Rescue Operation

A 14-year-old girl from Kerala, missing in Chikkamagaluru, was found dead in a 1500-ft gorge after a three-day search. Police are probing the cause, while her family suspects an accidental fall.

Chikkamagaluru: The search for a 14-year-old girl from Kerala, Shrinanda, who went missing during a trip to Chikkamagaluru, has ended in tragedy. Her body was found in a deep gorge. She had come to Manikyadhara falls with her family on April 7th and mysteriously disappeared around 5:30 PM that evening. Her family and locals immediately started a search, which was soon joined by the police and other rescue teams.

After three days of non-stop searching, a team moving from the Arishinaguppe area found the girl's body about 5 kilometres away, inside a deep gorge. The gorge is said to be around 1500 feet deep. Getting her body out was a huge challenge for the rescue teams because the area is extremely difficult to access.

Police are initially suspecting it could be a case of suicide and are investigating from all angles. However, her family believes she might have accidentally slipped and fallen. The police have launched a detailed investigation to find out the exact cause of her death.

Background of the Incident

A large family group of 40 people from Kerala had come to Chikkamagaluru for a summer vacation trip. The 14-year-old girl went missing from the famous Manikyadhara waterfall, located in the foothills of Datta Peetha, around 5:30 PM. Her body has now been found after a three-day search.

A massive search operation was launched to find her. More than 60 personnel from the police, Forest Department, Fire Department, a dog squad, and the SDRF were involved. They formed 5 separate teams to search the forest. Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre had also ordered the use of a thermal camera drone to help find Shrinanda in the Chandradrona mountain range.

Vanished in a Second

On that day, all the family members were walking down the steps at Manikyadhara together. While the others were ahead, Shrinanda was walking right behind them. But when they looked back at a turn, she was gone. She had vanished in a split second in the middle of the dense forest. The panicked family searched everywhere but found no trace of her. The big question now is whether she was attacked by a wild animal, accidentally fell into the gorge, or if it was suicide. The truth will only come out after the medical examination is complete.