Easter special survival thriller

A rare story of survival was born when Saranya emerged from the labyrinthine Tadaindamol peak in the Kodagu forest area guided by the local tribal community and forest officials. The mission teams from Karnataka and Kerala, the local youth, the forest department and police officials who set out to search for Saranya deserve praise. Saranya wandered in the forest for four days and nights with just 500ml of water and a switched-off cellphone. Even facing such a frightening ordeal, Saranya tried to attract the attention of the mission team without losing her willpower, which yielded results on the fourth day.

36-year-old G.S. Saranya, a software engineer and native of Nadapuram, Kozhikode, lost her way on April 2 while trekking from Madikeri. She immediately informed the homestay where she was staying, which gave the rescuers a rough idea of ​​where Saranya had gone astray. After four days of intense search, the rescuers found Saranya on a rock in the forest, four and a half kilometres from where she lost her way. This is a sanctuary for wild animals. It can only be said to be a stroke of luck that Saranya returned unscathed.

Saranya said that she kept her courage aflame by walking along the stream and sleeping on a rock at night. She spent time in an open area to attract the attention of drones and howled occasionally with the hope that the team would hear it. Despite drinking only water for four days, Saranya came out without any major health problems. Years of trekking experience and mental strength might have come in handy for the youngster.

This incident also serves as a warning that trekking alone in uncharted forests is dangerous. Although Saranya initially said that she wanted to go trekking alone, the forest department authorities did not allow it and left her with a group of fifteen. This group also included a guide. The team members who returned said that Saranya went missing within an hour after the trek began.

It is also worth mentioning that there was a high-level intervention to find Saranya. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had written a letter to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. In addition, AICC General Secretary K.C. Venugopal had contacted the Karnataka Chief Minister and the Forest Minister and requested them to use all possible facilities to intensify the search. Saranya's family members had also personally approached Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar for help. In the context of this incident, the authorities should take a strict stand to prepare a system to monitor trekking groups using drones at regular intervals. In any case, Saranya’s return on Easter brought symbolic joy not just to her family but to the whole of Kerala.