Udhagamandalam

A tourist who fell into a 150-foot-deep gorge while attempting to take a selfie at the Oosimalai Viewpoint near Gudalur in Tamil Nadu’s Nilgiris district was rescued in the early hours of Friday through a joint operation.

The man, identified as Sivagurunathan from Chengalpet, had visited the eco-tourism site along the Gudalur-Ooty National Highway, which is managed by the Forest Department. Concern arose when he did not exit the area even after visiting hours had ended, prompting officials to initiate a search.

Fire and Rescue Services were alerted, but the operation encountered difficulties due to darkness and the presence of wild animals such as elephants and tigers in the forest, forcing teams to pause the effort temporarily.

Subsequently, Nilgiris MP A Raja reached out to senior Army officials at the Wellington Cantonment for assistance. Acting on the request, Army personnel joined hands with the Forest Department to carry out a coordinated rescue mission during the night.

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The combined team successfully located the tourist and brought him out of the gorge by dawn. Officials said he sustained minor injuries and was given necessary medical treatment.