Skeletal remains of disappeared trekkers recovered in Western ghats

The skeletal remains of two of the three trekkers, who had disappeared in the forests of Western Ghats eight months ago, were recovered from Shiradi hill ranges in Hassan district of Karnataka yesterday.

A photography enthusiast Vikram Gowda stumbled upon two skeletons near a stream in the thick forests along the Shiradi hill ranges yesterday during a visit to region. After rummaging the area, Vikram Gowda and his friends found a kit bag containing a Driving License and a Bank Passbook, which helped them identify the skeletons.

During a trekking expedition to Western Ghats during June 2006, three trekkers – Tejmurthy, Vasanth Kumar and Bhaskar Babu – went missing after heavy rains lashed the area.

The kit bag recovered from the site contained a Bank’s Passbook in the name of Tejmurthy, besides the Driving License of Vasanthkumar. Both the missing trekkers were residents of Bangalore.

Police suspect the trekkers could have lost their way in the unprecedented rains that lashed the forest area for 24 hours after their departure from Sakleshpur in Hassan. Wild elephants also inhabit the forest area from where the two skeletons were recovered.

Hassan District Police visited the region and began combing operations looking for the remains of the third trekker, who went missing.