When adventurism takes a dangerous turn

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Rescue teams climb a hill to save a youth trapped on Kurumbachi hills at Malampuzha. Authorities are forced to spend much time and effort in such rescue efforts, which are also quite expensive. | Photo Credit: K.K. MUSTAFAH

On June 26, 2026, what would have been an otherwise ordinary day took an unsettling turn as dusk fell over Valook, a scenic village located about 85 km from Kozhikode town. Local residents were jolted to attention by loud calls that echoed and the flashlights that beamed across the hilly region that leads to Nadapuram Mudi, a nearby hillock.

The unusual movements, along with the sighting of two motorbikes parked some 200 metres off the hill, stirred alarm. The residents realised that a group of adventurers might be trapped on the hill, located within the forest.

“Soon, a search party, including residents, was ready to move into the forest to track the missing persons,” recalls Bipin Thomas, a resident.

T.P. Pavithran, a former local body head, remembers that the youngsters had pulled a dangerous stunt by venturing into the unfamiliar forest terrain in fading light.

“The lights and loud calls fell silent after a while as fear gripped the village. Wild animals, including elephants, roam the area. Apparently, three youngsters had entered the forest in the evening. Since one of them couldn’t climb further, he decided to wait midway, while the others went ahead. On their return, the duo couldn’t find their friend and started shouting and searching for him,” recalls Pavithran.

Shortly, a 35-member-strong rescue team led by the officials of the Kerala Forest department ventured into the forest at night on a risky mission. The biggest challenge before the team was the absence of specific information about the location where the youth had gone missing and the heavy blanket of darkness that fell over the region.

After the tedious rescue mission that lasted several hours, the missing youth was spotted, frightened and exhausted. After rescuing him, the Forest officials dutifully booked all three for trespassing on the forest. Section 27 of the Kerala Forest Act, 1961, prescribes a punishment of five years for the offence, warn Forest officials.

The growing trend among youth to carry out impulsive adventurous acts and throw themselves into uncharted territories has been troubling authorities no end. Exploring forest terrains, copying risky social media trends, acting out stunt scenes or taking dangerous vehicle rides, and stepping into unknown waters have cost many their lives. Doing daring stunts on roads, usually performed by professionals with safety precautions, has left many a youth injured, while endangering the lives of others.

The recent 'trekking misadventure' of G.S. Saranya, a Nadapuram native, had pinned two neighbouring States, Kerala and Karnataka, in a state of concern for almost four days.