Belagavi students lose way while on trek, found in Goa forest

They messaged their college friends the same night seeking help and informed them about losing their way in the forest. Their friends alerted forest officials.

Nine students from an educational institution in Belagavi, who lost way while trekking in the Kanakumbi forest, were rescued after a joint operation by forest officials of Goa and Karnataka that lasted over eight hours, on December 30.

According to sources, the students had gone on motorcycles to Javani waterfalls in the dense forest adjacent to Parwad village on the Karnataka–Goa border on December 29 afternoon. The students had travelled on their motorcycles three kilometres inside to the forest. Subsequently, they had parked their motorcycles under a tree before proceeding on foot. While coming back, they lost their way.

They messaged their college friends the same night seeking help and informed them about losing their way in the forest. Their friends alerted forest officials.

On being alerted, a team led by ACF Santosh Chavan launched a search operation on the night of December 29. Goa forest officials too launched a search operation in their jurisdiction after being alerted by their counterparts in Karnataka.

The students were found in a forest in Goa. They had taken shelter near some rocks. Forest officials brought them to the office of Kanakumbi range forest officer, gave them first aid before handing them over to higher-ups.

Goa forest officials registered a case of trespassing in the forest against the nine students, and informed their parents and college principal about their whereabouts. The students were handed over to their parents, the sources said.