Bengaluru: A woman trekker from Kerala, who is a techie has gone missing from Tadiandamol, the highest peak of Kodagu district since Thursday.
The police, forest department officials and locals have launched a search operation in the dense forest with highest elephant movement to trace Sharanya (36), who started her trek with a group of people.
On Thursday morning, a group of 10 trekkers started on the traditional trail in the morning, after receiving permission from the forest department. Sharanya from Kochi in Kerala, who had stayed at a nearby homestay on Wednesday night also arrived at the foothill of the peak along with the homestay owner and sought permission to trek the trail alone. Since the trail has wild elephant movement, the foresters at the checkpost asked her to join the other trekkers and walk the trail with them. In the evening, other trekkers returned, but Sharanya did not.
The foresters at the checkpost immediately got into action and started the search operation. The police, who were alerted too, joined them along with local residents. The search continued till midnight, but could not trace Sharanya.
The search operation resumed on Friday morning with five teams -- three from the forest department and two with the police and local residents. Madikeri DCF Abhishek confirmed that the drones and dog squads are being used to track her. ``We are searching at all possible locations. The trek path of Tadiandamol is not tough and trekkers can easily find their way back in two to three hours,'' he said.
Kodagu Superintendent of Police Bindu Mani R N confirmed that the family of missing woman have been informed and Sharanya's brother had come down to Kodagu.
