Keonjhar: Three tourists from Keonjhar were rescued from Malyagiri Hill in Angul district on Thursday after spending nearly 22 hours stranded in a dense forest following a trekking expedition.According to sources, a group of seven youths from Keonjhar town set out to trek Malyagiri Hill on Wednesday. During the expedition, they lost their way in the forest. While four members of the group managed to descend the steep slopes safely before evening, the remaining three — Prasanta (20), Bapun (25) and Ananta (20) — went missing in the dense forest.After reaching safety, the four trekkers alerted the local residents and informed the forest officials and police. A joint search-and-rescue operation involving the forest, police and fire services departments was launched immediately.Rescue efforts, however, were hampered by the area’s rugged terrain, rocky landscape and dense vegetation. Despite adverse weather conditions, fire service personnel continued the search and eventually located the missing trekkers. The three were then brought down the hill safely, one by one.Stranded in the wilderness after nightfall, the three youths spent the night on a rock outcrop on Malyagiri Hill, surrounded by dense forests inhabited by wild animals, including elephants and bear.“We successfully rescued them from the hill with the assistance of forest and fire service personnel. After undergoing health check-ups at Pallahara subdivisional hospital, they were allowed to return home,” said Pradeep Kumar Mohanta, inspector-in-charge of Pallahara police station.The Malyagiri Hill is a popular destination for nature lovers and trekking enthusiasts, many of whom undertake overnight expeditions before returning the next day. The hill range is located along National Highway-49 between Jagamohanpur and Pallahara.
The rescued trekkers
