PALAKKAD: After 45 hours, the 23-year-old man who fell into a rock cleft in the Kurumbachi Hills in Cherad near Malampuzha was successfully lifted atop the hills by the Army personnel on Wednesday morning.
On reaching the hilltop, displaying unbelievable willpower, the youth, R Babu, walked for some distance, according to the rescue personnel.
An Indian Army man Bala was engaged in pulling the youth -- who fell into the hill cleft on Monday while trekking with three friends -- with a rope to the top of the Kurumbachi hills over the steep rock from 9.30 am.
Babu was tied to the body of the Army personnel who took him to the top. Babu was also given a safety belt and helmet. Within 45 minutes the personnel succeeded in lifting Babu to the surface of the hilltop.
Earlier, an Army personnel named Bala succeeded in making food and water available to the youth, who had not eaten anything or drank water for the last two days.
Babu had suffered an injury on the leg when he fell into the rock cleft. He was also suffering from fatigue due to a lack of food and water for two days.
Meanwhile, DMO KP Reetha who reached the spot said that they have arranged an ICU and other treatment facilities at the district hospital to cater to the health of the youth. The youth will be airlifted to the BEML ground in Kanjikode from where he will be taken by road to the district hospital. District Collector Mrunmai Joshi also informed the same.
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There were a total of 70 rescue personnel which included a 20 member NDRF team, police and fire force apart from a 30 member team from the Army which was involved in the rescue operation.
On Wednesday morning two teams of Army personnel had started on their mission. While one team was trying to reach the spot where the youth has been stranded from atop the hill, another team has started from below to reach the spot where he has been stranded. There were also two doctors and forest watchers in the team.
A drone team of the survey department was also standing at the place of operation. There was also a team of doctors at the base camp who were ready to give preliminary medical treatment.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has informed that the rescue operation was successfully being carried out and it was one of the difficult missions undertaken in the history of the State. He said that there were two teams of Army personnel involved in the operation. The Chief Minister said that the Air Force is also readying to dispatch a helicopter.
At around 11 pm Tuesday, Army personnel from Bangalore reached Malampuzha via Sulur in Coimbatore. Another team of Army personnel reached from Wellington airbase in Ooty also reached the place.
It was on Monday afternoon that Babu and three other youths climbed the 1,000-metre high Kurumbachi hills in Cherad near Malampuzha. While Babu fell into the rock cleft, the three other youths reached back to tell the locals and the police about the mishap to Babu.