Lost but not afraid: Kerala trekker recounts four days alone in Kodagu hills
Thiruvananthapuram/ Bengaluru (PTI): A 36-year-old woman from Kerala, who was found on Sunday after going missing for four days in the Tadiandamol hills of Karnataka’s Kodagu district, said she “lost her way somehow” but never felt afraid during the ordeal.
Appearing calm and composed, G S Sharanya, a native of Nadapuram in Kozhikode district of Kerala, walked out to the rescuers with a smile, recounting how she survived alone in the dense forest with limited resources and fading hope of contact.
She was part of a 10-member group that had set out for trekking on Thursday.
She was reported to have reached the Thadiyandamol trekking base around 7 am that day. Later, authorities were alerted after she failed to return, prompting a search operation soon after.
Addressing reporters after being rescued, she said, “I had lost my way. I could not see anyone when I climbed down. I came to a left-side path but could not find anyone."
With just a 500 ml bottle of water and no mobile connectivity, she said she tried contacting a colleague, before her phone ran out of charge.
“I walked till around 6.45 pm on the first day after losing the path. After that, I stayed in an open space near a stream as I could not proceed further because of the dense forest,” she said.
In the days that followed, she kept moving in the hope of finding help.
“In the days that followed, I kept walking expecting to meet someone,” she added.
Despite being alone in a forest area believed to be frequented by elephants and amid intermittent heavy rain, the woman said fear never overtook her.
“I did not feel scared. I don’t know why,” she said with a confident smile.
She was eventually spotted by a group of locals in a remote patch of the forest “where nobody usually goes”, according to members of the rescue team.
Karnataka Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre confirmed that the woman had been found and was in good health.
A massive round-the-clock search operation involving nine teams—including forest officials, Anti-Naxal Squad members, and local tribal communities—had been launched soon after she was reported missing.
Sharanya, who was staying at a private homestay in Kakkabe village, had set out on April 2 for a trek to the Tadiandamol peak along with a guide and a group of trekkers but went missing later that day.
Officials said she had last contacted the homestay on Thursday, informing them that she had lost her way.
Search efforts were intensified on the directions of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, with additional personnel and advanced equipment, including thermal drone cameras, deployed to locate her.
State Forest Minister Khandre described her as “brave and adventurous”, noting that the lack of mobile connectivity in the forest had made it difficult to trace her location.
Authorities said she would be safely escorted back home to Kerala.
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TCS case: AIMIM chief Owaisi decries 'media trial' of Nida Khan; asks if possessing burqa is crime
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (PTI): All India Majlis E Ittehadul Muslimeen president Asaduddin Owaisi on Saturday said it was wrong to associate his party to TCS case accused Nida Khan and asserted the latter will be proven innocent in court.
Khan, a key accused in the TCS sexual harassment-forced conversion case, was arrested from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar on Thursday by Nashik police, following which AIMIM corporator Matin Patel was booked for sheltering her while she was on the run.
The developments have evoked sharp reactions from ruling Mahayuti leaders, including ministers Sanjay Shirsat and Nitesh Rane, who have called for a deeper probe against the AIMIM in the case.
Addressing reporters after a meeting of his party in connection with the upcoming Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the state, Owaisi said Nida Khan is being subjected to a "media trial".
"Nida Khan was transferred from her job before the FIR was registered. We all have seen the statement of TCS. It says she is not connected in any manner to the HR department. Nine FIRs have been registered so far and in one of them, Nida Khan has been named for allegedly hurting religious sentiments," he said.
Asserting that the complainant in the case is a "member of the ruling party", the Lok Sabha MP questioned whether possession of a burqa or a book on Prophet Mohammad was illegal, adding that it is available in every Muslim household.
Earlier, in Delhi, police dubbed some youth as terrorists because a book of (legendary poet) Mirza Ghalib was found in their home, he pointed out.
"This is a media trial and if the media acts like judge and jury, it is dangerous. It will not serve the purpose of justice. We have faith that the court will deliver justice and the girl (Nida Khan) will be proven innocent. This case will not stand in court," Owaisi emphasised.
"This is being done with an intention to harass educated persons from the Muslim community. The allegations are coming out of hatred. The judiciary will play its role. But connecting a party with this case is completely wrong," he further said.
On his party colleague and corporator Matin Patel being booked, Owaisi said the charges will be contested in court.
He claimed such an environment was created after the blasts in Malegaon and Mumbai, but no one went to the families of those incarcerated once the judgement (of acquittal) was delivered.
The allegations against his party in the case at least means "we are not the B team of the BJP", the AIMIM chief added.
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Nashik police is probing nine cases of molestation and harassment at the IT major's Nashik unit.
It had arrested eight persons, including a female operations manager, by registering nine FIRs after allegations of exploitation, attempt of forceful conversion, hurting religious sentiments, molestation and mental harassment of female employees at the TCS unit came to light.
Nida Khan is accused of targeting employees in a WhatsApp group, pressuring them to pray and eat non-vegetarian food. According to the FIR, she also allegedly advised women employees to dress and behave in accordance with Islamic traditions.
TCS has clarified that it has adopted a zero-tolerance policy towards harassment and coercion of any form for a long time, and the employees allegedly involved in sexual harassment at the Nashik office have been suspended.
