Kerala trekker R Babu, who was trapped in a steep gorge in Malampuzha mountains in Palakkad Kerala has now been rescued. Teams of the Indian Army had undertaken the rescue operation.

Rescuers were unable to reach him or provide him with food or water. Several attempts, including one by a Coast Guard helicopter, were made to rescue the youth who was trapped on the hillside between rocks in the scorching heat with no water or food for more than a day. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan also intervened and sought the help of the Army to rescue the youth.

#WATCH | Babu, the youth trapped in a steep gorge in Malampuzha mountains in Palakkad Kerala has now been rescued. Teams of the Indian Army had undertaken the rescue operation.

(Video source: Indian Army) pic.twitter.com/VD7LG3qs3s

— ANI (@ANI) February 9, 2022

Subsequently, Lt General Arun of Army's Southern Command informed the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) that a specialised team will be starting from Bengaluru soon, a release from CMO said. The team, which specialises in mountaineering and rescue, would be travelling by road with travel by helicopter at night being impossible, the release said.

TV visuals indicated that after the Coast Guard efforts failed, a National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team was attempting to reach the youth who appears to be sitting in a small recess on the mountain face. A member of one of the rescue teams told a media channel that while during the day the heat is scorching and unbearable, by evening and late night it becomes windy and cold and even wild animals would be roaming about which would obstruct the rescue efforts.

According to locals, the youth, along with two others had on Monday decided to climb to the top of Cherad hill there, but the other two abandoned the effort halfway.

However, Babu continued to climb to the top, and after reaching there, slipped and fell and got trapped between rocks on the mountain face, locals said.

With inputs from PTI

First Published:Feb 9, 2022 11:26 AM IST