The scale and urgency of the search operation also saw political attention from the woman’s home state of Kerala where Assembly elections are due later this month.
A 36-year-old Kerala techie, who went missing during a trek to Tadiandamol hill in Karnataka’s Kodagu district has been found alive. She was rescued following a high-intensity rescue operation spanning political and administrative levels, along with additional assistance from a local tribe.
Identified as Sharanya, the Kerala techie survived nearly three days inside a dense forest, with rescue teams crediting her mentally strong will to keep her alive.
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Sharanya had set out on a solo trek on Thursday but was accompanied by a 15-member group. However, she reportedly lost her way during the trek, prompting the state government to launch a massive search operation involving nine teams.
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Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramiah directed State Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre to use all the resources to find the missing Kerala woman.
The state government dispatched nine reacue teams, involving the forest department, police, Anti-Naxal Force personnel and local villagers.
According to reports, members of Kudiya tribal community were also part of the rescue mission given their familarity with the terrain.
The scale and urgency of the search operation also saw political attention from the woman’s home state of Kerala where Assembly elections are due later this month.
Senior Congress leader K C Venugopal, considered among potential chief ministerial candidates from the UDF, reached to Karnataka government, urging them to intensify the search.
Failure to locate her before elections could have given the LDF and the BJP a potent political issue to target the Congress, which is hopeful of returning to power in the South Indian state after a decade.
“There was pressure to trace her quickly, and we ensured all resources were mobilised,” Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre said.
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