A man died while climbing the Chandradrona hills to attend the Deviramma Jatra Mahotsava in Chikkamagaluru on Sunday, while nearly 15 devotees were injured after slipping near the hilltop when a safety rod was damaged, police said.
The deceased was identified as Lakshman, a resident of Kanyadi near Dharmasthala in Dakshina Kannada district. According to police, he reportedly suffered a heart attack while climbing the hill through the Mallenahalli route and collapsed.
Fire and emergency services personnel brought Lakshman down from the hill and shifted him to a government hospital in Chikkamagaluru, but he could not be saved, police said. Superintendent of Police Jitendra Kumar Dayama said Lakshman had a history of heart-related problems and was taking medication.
Police said Lakshman worked at a company in Bengaluru and had travelled through the night to visit his brother-in-law’s house in Hoovinahalli. He then began climbing the hill with his brother-in-law early in the morning to attend the festival.
In a separate incident on Saturday, Sunil, 31, from Mandya, slipped and fell while taking the route towards Manikyadhara waterfalls in the same hill range. Police personnel, fire service staff and devotees rescued him. As he was unwell, fire service personnel carried him down the hill and shifted him to a hospital.
The injuries involving the group of devotees occurred after a safety rod at the hilltop was damaged, according to the report. No major injuries were reported among those who slipped. The incident has put attention on the physical safety arrangements along routes used by large numbers of devotees during the annual jatra.
Police have stepped up safety measures on the trek route, the report said. The Deviramma Jatra is held in the Chandradrona hills range, where devotees use steep routes to reach the festival area and nearby attractions, including the Manikyadhara waterfalls.
