Search ends in tragedy: Sreenanda found dead in 1,500-foot gorge; family demands probe

PALAKKAD: After four days of search, prayers by the family, and anxious waiting by the entire state of Kerala, the body of 15-year-old Sreenanda was found at a depth of about 1,500 feet near a viewpoint at Manikyadhara Falls in Chikkamagaluru. Sreenanda, a native of Kadampazhipuram in Palakkad, was the daughter of Ramesh and Rohini. She had recently appeared for her SSLC exams and was waiting for the results. Her brother is a polytechnic student.

The body was found stuck in a steep mountain gorge. A team of around 400 personnel, including police, forest officials, and disaster response forces, carried out the search using drones and thermal cameras. The body was located around noon yesterday and was later brought down through a difficult route.

The body was shifted to the district hospital in Chikkamagaluru for post-mortem and was sent to her hometown the same night. It is expected to reach her home this morning.

As relatives raised suspicions over the incident, a special investigation team is examining the area where the body was found. Police said all possibilities are being considered. Jitendra Dayama, the district police chief, said the cause of the accident is still unclear.

Sreenanda went missing on Tuesday evening around 5:20 pm. She was last seen with her family after taking photos near the waterfall. While her parents and relatives moved towards the parked vehicle, she stayed back near the falls with two other children. When her friends returned after going to buy ice cream, she was missing. A search began within 15 minutes, but she could not be found, and police were informed later that night. A special police team from Kerala also joined the investigation.

Trip organised by temple committee ends in tragedy
Sreenanda and 39 others had started their trip to Karnataka around 5 pm on the 4th, organised by a temple committee connected to the Punnamparambu Bhagavathi Temple in Kadampazhipuram. They visited Hampi during the first two days, and the plan was to visit Chikkamagaluru on the 7th and then return. By noon on the 7th, the group reached Manikyadhara Falls at Baba Budan Giri. All of them took photos near the waterfall and then started walking back towards the bus. Sreenanda was standing below with her friends and was expected to follow them. It was only later that they realised Sreenanda was missing.

Family raises doubts

1. Sreenanda’s uncle, Sasidharan, said that police had searched the areas where the body was eventually found within hours of her going missing. He raised doubts about how the body was not found then but was discovered now.
2. He also pointed out that although four days had passed, the body did not appear to be that old. The vehicle was parked on the side where people usually climb up from the waterfall, but the body was found on the opposite side. He said Sreenanda had not gone to that area. He questioned whether a person slipping and falling in such a crowded tourist spot would go unnoticed.
3. The family also alleged that a police sniffer dog had led the search to a nearby shop, but the shop owner was not questioned. They claimed that locals were not properly questioned either. The area has many beggars, and locals reportedly said that CCTV cameras in the area were not functioning.

What happened in those 15 minutes? Sreenanda was kidnapped, says mother
Sreenanda’s mother, Rohini, rejected the possibility that her daughter accidentally fell into the gorge. She said someone might have kidnapped her and possibly drugged her before taking her away. She pointed out that in a photo taken with the family at 5:20 pm on Tuesday, Sreenanda can be seen standing behind them. However, in photos taken at 5:35 pm, she is missing. What happened within those 15 minutes remains a mystery.

The body was found on the opposite side of where she was last seen. The family said there is no possibility that she could have fallen into that area. They suspect that she may have been harmed elsewhere and her body brought and dumped there. The area reportedly has many beggars and people sleeping on the streets. Detailed information about the cause of death will be available only after the post-mortem. Police have also found that around nine vehicles left the parking area before 6 pm on Tuesday. Officials are now collecting registration details of these vehicles as part of the investigation.

About Baba Budan Giri

• Baba Budan Giri is part of the Western Ghats in the Chikkamagaluru district. It is a popular trekking destination with a peak height of about 1,895 meters.
• It is believed that Sufi saint Baba Budan brought coffee beans from Yemen in the 17th century and planted them here, marking the beginning of coffee cultivation in India.
• Along with the dargah of Baba Budan, there is also a cave associated with the Hindu deity Dattatreya at this place. It is known as the “Inam Dattatreya Baba Budan Giri Dargah.”
• Nearby, the Manikyadhara Falls is a scenic attraction. The waterfall, which is about 30 feet high, draws many tourists who visit to see the falls and also offer prayers at the dargah and the cave.