Girl swept away near Tumakuru lake; rescued after 20 hours

Tumakuru: A 20-year-old B.Tech student, who was trapped in a rocky terrain after being washed away in gushing water near Mandaragiri hills in Tumakuru district while taking a selfie on Sunday afternoon, was miraculously rescued after 20 hours on Monday, the police said.

Hamsa S Gowda of Shivarampur village in Gubbi taluk and studying in a college in Tumakuru, had gone on Sunday with her friend from Bengaluru to see the Mandaragiri Hill falls.

"Water, gushing from a 30-foot precipice and coursing through rocks, falls into the Maidala lake," they added. "While taking a selfie at the foothills of Mandaragiri, she slipped into the gorge and was trapped between the rocks," a police officer said.

Seeing her disappearing into the gorge, her friend raised an alarm.

Soon, villagers called the police. The police team, along with firemen, began the rescue efforts which were hampered by strong currents. Firemen placed sand bags to divert water.

They had to abandon the search around 8 pm as darkness fell. "The whole night she could not be seen," Tumakuru superintendent of police Ashok K V told reporters. 

Hamsa, who was stuck between the rocks around 20 feel below the lake's breach, spent the night alone.

Hamsa receiving treatment at the district hospital in Tumakuru.

"I was kneeling down throughout the night. I was able to breathe with wind blowing from a single direction. No one could hear my screams. I saw the light from a torch at dawn, which gave me confidence. I was unaware that the lake was so deep. I don't know swimming," told reporters while undergoing treatment at Tumakuru district hospital, where she is stable.

Fire and Emergency Services district officer Shashidar said, "On Monday, we had to wade in gushing water to reach her, risking our lives. They cried out from one side of the water and Hamsa too replied," he said.

"I thought I would die but was sure someone would rescue me. God is great and my parents' blessings saved me," she said thanking the rescuers.

(With PTI inputs)