Search for missing Adivasi youth in Palakkad continues

PALAKKAD: The search for the adivasi youth, who went missing in Mannarkkad continues. Manikandan (24) of Karuvara Unnathi, a member of a group that had come from Attappady to collect honey, went missing. The youth went missing below the Attila waterfall in Karimba panchayat. The incident happened around 8:30 pm on Monday.
Nine people had come to collect honey in a private plantation near the hills on Sunday. They spent the night in a rocky area near the waterfall. Those with them said that Manikandan slipped and fell into the water on Monday night. They rushed to the spot after hearing the sound, but could not find him.

On being informed, Mannarkkad fire force also reached the spot and conducted a search, but he could not be found. A six-member scuba team had also arrived for the search. The search was stopped at 4 pm yesterday due to the presence of wild elephants nearby. The youth's shoes were found in the water and a torch was found in a pit near the waterfall.

The authorities said the presence of wild elephants and the large whirlpool formed in the waterfall are hindering the search. Scuba members Sathish, Vinod, Santhosh, Ramesh, Vikas and Amal are conducting the search. Mannarkkad Tahsildar P P Seena, Karimba panchayat president P S Ramachandran, panchayat members Anitha Santhosh and H Jaffer, among others, had reached the spot.