A 15-year-old girl from Kerala who went missing during a family visit to a tourist site in Karnataka's Chikkamagaluru district was found dead on Friday in a valley near Manikyadhara Falls.
The deceased student, identified as Srinanda, from Kadambazhipuram in Palakkad district.
As per reports, Srinanda went missing after a group of 40 people visited the Chandradrona Hills. Her absence was noticed after the group reached the summit, relatives immediately alerted the Chikkamagaluru Rural police.
The search was intensified immediately after her disappearance, with around 60 teams deployed locally and another 10 teams sent to other states.
Investigators identified 240 vehicles present at the site that day amid early suspicion of abduction. Forest department officials assisted in the operation, and thermal drones were used to scan the terrain.
The body was found not far from the location where she had been reported missing. Police said the area is heavily barricaded with a single access route and are examining whether she may have fallen from a viewpoint.