A 36-year-old woman from Kerala, who went missing during a trek in the Kodagu Hills, was rescued on Sunday evening, concluding a massive search operation that intensified during the day with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah stepping in for additional personnel, drone monitoring and local support.
The woman, GS Charania, an IT professional, was found around 5pm inside the forest near Tadiandamol, the highest peak in Kodagu district. She was found near a rock near a creek, where she remained for several days, relying on water from the river and staying in one area to improve her chances of being found, officials said.
According to officials, Charanya had arrived alone from Kerala earlier in the week and was staying at a house in Kakapi village, about 10 km from Napoklu. Although she initially planned to take a solo trip, she changed her plans after being advised not to venture out alone due to the presence of wild elephants. She later joined a guiding group of 15 trekkers to climb to Tadiandamol on Thursday.
While descending that afternoon, she became separated from the group and lost her way in the dense forest. She is said to have called her friend and her landlord to report that she was missing before her phone battery died. Authorities were alerted shortly after, sparking a coordinated search effort.
The operation, led by the Karnataka Forest Department and police, gradually expanded into a multi-agency effort involving nine teams. Members of the anti-Naxal force, a dog squad and forest staff combed the terrain alongside local tribal communities familiar with the forest. Additional teams were deployed based on the Prime Minister’s instructions, to include about 40 additional personnel. Drone thermal cameras have been used to survey areas that are difficult to reach on foot.
The search area centered around the Pattigat Reserve Forest, a dense forest area located on the far side of Tadiyaandamul Peak, which borders Kerala. The terrain represents a sharp contrast to the more frequented trekking routes on the other side of the summit. Thick vegetation, persistent fog and intermittent rain have complicated the operation, along with concerns about wildlife in the area.
Sharania, who appeared calm after being found, later described the sequence of events that led to her being stranded. “I got separated while going down the hill and couldn’t find anyone. I turned left to look for people, but got lost because the forest was dense. Till around 6.45pm, I kept walking down the hill, thinking that I would eventually meet someone, but I didn’t. So I stayed on the hill. I called my friend Yadu and asked him to inform others. While I was trying to send a text message to the helpline number, my phone went off. The next morning, my leg “It hurt, so I couldn’t do it.” “Walk,” she said.
“On the second day, I climbed to the top of the hill as visibility became better in the area, hoping that a drone would spot me. On the third day, I wanted to walk, but it rained heavily. I was soaked, and it was very cold at night, so I couldn’t sleep. Today (Sunday), I waited until around noon as I was still wet from the rain,” she said.
She added: “I did not have many supplies because it was supposed to be a short trip. I drank water from a nearby stream. I was not afraid and did not encounter any wild animals.”
Earlier on Sunday, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan wrote to CM Siddaramaiah, expressing concern over Charanya’s disappearance and urging increased intervention. “It is understood that a search is on to trace her. I seek your kind personal intervention in the matter. Directions may be issued to increase the strength of search teams so that Saranya is traced at the earliest and brought home safely,” he said in his letter.
