A 35-year-old man from Kanyadi in Dakshina Kannada died while climbing Deviremma Hill in Chikkamagaluru on November 8, while another trekker was rescued after slipping near Manikyadhara Falls as thousands of devotees visited the hill shrine during its annual festival.
The deceased, identified as Lakshman, was climbing the hill from the Mallenahalli side with his brother-in-law when he collapsed. The report by Prajavani said he appeared to suffer a cardiac episode and died at the spot. Fire and emergency personnel brought his body down from the hill and transported it to the government hospital in Chikkamagaluru for a post-mortem examination.
Lakshman worked for Bosch in Bengaluru and had travelled to his brother-in-law’s home in Hoovinahalli. According to the report, he had arrived after travelling overnight and went up the hill in the early hours of the morning. Heavy fog covered the hill during the climb. District Superintendent of Police Jitendra Kumar Dayama told Prajavani that information had been received that Lakshman had previously undergone heart surgery.
The incident occurred as devotees were making their way to the Deviremma temple, located at the foothills of the Deviremma Hill range in the Chandradrona mountain range. The festival idol of the deity is taken to the hilltop only once a year. This year, visitors have been allowed to seek darshan over two days, drawing large numbers of devotees to the trekking routes.
In a separate incident near the route leading to Manikyadhara Falls, 31-year-old Sunil from Mandya slipped and fell while travelling through the area. Police personnel, fire and emergency staff and devotees jointly carried out the rescue, according to the report. Sunil was found to be unwell and was carried by fire personnel before being taken to hospital.
The two incidents occurred on routes being used by large crowds during a short festival access window. The report does not state whether the trekking routes were formally closed or whether any additional restrictions were imposed after the incidents. It also does not provide details of Sunil’s medical condition or the results of Lakshman’s post-mortem examination.
Fire and emergency teams were involved in both responses, with personnel bringing Lakshman’s body down and transporting the injured trekker for medical care. Further official information on the post-mortem findings, Sunil’s condition and arrangements for the remaining festival period was not available in the supplied report.
