PALAKKAD: The rapid response team (RRT) from Pudur Forest Station on Wednesday early morning successfully rescued two youngsters from Attappadi, who had trespassed into the forests to catch a glimpse of the rare Neelakurinji bloom at Chenthamala Hills on Tuesday. They had lost their way deep inside the forest.
Abheender (23) and Shanu (23), both from Thavalam, had ventured nearly 8 km into the forest under the Pudur Forest Station. The duo reportedly found themselves unable to retrace their route and left stranded in the difficult terrain.
A 10-member Rapid Response Team (RRT) of the Forest Department launched a rescue operation after the youngsters managed to establish contact with a friend from the hilltop, where mobile connectivity was available. The friend subsequently alerted their families, who informed the Pudur Forest Station.
According to forest officials, one of the youngsters suffered a leg injury after twisting his ankle while trekking. The rescue team reached the youngsters at around 1 am on Wednesday after trekking through the steep and forested terrain. The team, along with the two youngsters, returned to the Pudur Forest Station by around 5 am.
The presence of wild animals in the forest also made the operation challenging, officials said.
Forest sources said the youngsters are suspected to have entered the forest from the Thekkupana area along the Thavalam-Mulli stretch.
The Forest Department has been repeatedly cautioning visitors against entering forest areas without permission following the emergence of Neelakurinji blooms at Chenthamala, Kinnakkara and Sholayur.
Officials said the rare flowering has recently drawn youngsters to the region, with some entering restricted forest areas to take photographs and shoot reels.
“Social media reels have effectively put these restricted forest locations on the radar of youngsters, encouraging them to enter illegally in search of the Neelakurinji. We have made it clear that unauthorised entry will not be permitted, but some are still bypassing our checks and entering the forest at their own risk,” a Forest Department officer from the Attappadi Range said.
The Forest Department said a case would be registered against the youths for trespassing into the forest under Section 27 of the Kerala Forest Act, 1961.
