Chasing a faint cry for 2 km: How the Adiya tribals rescued Kerala trekker Sharanya

A faint human cry echoing through the dense forests of Tadiandamol in Kodagu district in response to shouts by members of a search team comprising tribals provided the first breakthrough in locating missing Kerala trekker Sharanya, on Sunday (April 5, 2026).

Around 3 p.m., Mr Ayyappa, one of the five-member team from the Adiya tribal community, climbed onto a rock and repeatedly called out her name. In response, they heard a faint cry from deep within the wilderness — a crucial indication that the trekker was alive four days after she went missing.

Sharanya had taken refuge was in an area the Adiya tribals had never ventured into before.
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Special arrangement

Encouraged by repeated responses to their calls, the group moved swiftly in the direction of the sound.

“We rushed through the rugged terrain, crossing hills and streams for nearly two kilometres before finally reaching her,” said Mr. Ayyappa, a daily wager at a coffee estate. He was part of the team that located 36-year-old Sharanya from Kerala, who had gone missing during a trek to Tadiandamol on Thursday (April 2, 2026).

An unexplored route

The Adiya tribals, hailing from Paisari in Kodagu, had joined the search operation for the first time on Sunday. “After Forest Department personnel, who had been searching alongside us, called off their operation in the afternoon, we chose to continue on our own. The missing trekker was like our sister — we could not give up,” Mr. Ayyappa told The Hindu.

Armed with sickles, the group chose a route they use once a year to collect honey from the dense forest. However, the location where Sharanya had taken refuge was in an area they had never ventured into before.

“When we finally found her, she was standing under a tree, holding an empty water bottle and a camera. Her face lit up with a broad smile, and we were just as relieved and overjoyed,” he said.

“Though she had a mobile phone, it was switched off and drenched in rain. She had tears of joy in her eyes when she saw us. We spoke in Malayalam and began the journey back,” he added.

The Adiya tribals, hailing from Paisari in Kodagu, had joined the search operation for the first time on April 5, 2026
| Photo Credit:
Special arrangement

Meanwhile, Sharanya, after her rescue, said she survived for four days on water collected from a stream nearby. She camped next to a large rock and said she was not afraid even though she had learnt about the presence of elephants in the area.

Recounting that she got separated from her group while descending the hill, she said she soon lost mobile network as well.

She tried to send a message to a friend saying she was lost and asked him to contact the helpline, but her phone eventually switched off.

By evening, she reached a spot near a stream with a large rock and decided to halt there for the night. The next morning, she chose to remain at the same location as she had pain in the legs and the place offered good visibility.

Though she planned to resume walking on the third day, rain disrupted her plans, Sharanya said. Finally, she was rescued on the fourth day, she added.