Body of missing trekker retrieved from near waterfall in Manali

Asearch team has retrieved the body of a trekker missing since September 28 from near Jogini waterfall in the forest in Manali suburbs, police said Wednesday.

A body was spotted by the rescue team on Tuesday but could not be identified.

Rahul Ramesh, 35, from Bengaluru, prima facie fell from a cliff and died, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Manali, K D Sharma told PTI. His body was spotted 400 metres down the cliff.

The body was retrieved by a rescue team composed of personnel from National Disaster Response Force, Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Mountaineering and Allied Sports, police, and local mountaineers, Sharma said. He said it was difficult to go down to the body as there were no natural ledges or hooks on the 90-degrees steep rock.

Police had on September 29 found Ramesh’s mobile in Jogini Fall forests. The photographs in the mobile and messages suggested that he had lost his way while returning from the Bhrigu lake and searched for the shortest way to reach Manali. The trekker had also sent a message to his brother that he had lost his way, police said.

Police, however, have not ruled out the possibility that Ramesh could have been chased to the cliff by a bear, spotted earlier at the place where his mobile was found.

An army chopper was roped in on Monday to search for the trekker but failed to locate him.

Ramesh was reported missing by a friend of his when he failed to return from his day-long trek. Ramesh had reportedly come to Manali to participate in the Solang Skyultra event, a marathon held at high altitude, and was preparing for the race. The event was scheduled for September 30 and October 1.

The DSP said his body would be handed over to his family members after post mortem.