COIMBATORE: A 35-year-old devotee died while climbing the Velliangiri Hills on Saturday, taking the death toll this year to five.The deceased has been identified as M Saravanan of Parangimalai in Kancheepuram district. Saravanan, a cab driver, and his friends arrived here from Chennai on Saturday morning and began climbing the seven hills.During the trek, Saravanan complained of stomach discomfort and went near the bushes along the route to relieve himself. He rejoined the trek. But he felt unwell and collapsed on the second hill. Forest department officials deployed dolly workers to bring him down to the foothill. Government doctors on duty there declared him dead.Sources said Saravanan might have died of a cardiac arrest, though the exact cause of death would be confirmed after the postmortem. His body was sent to Coimbatore Medical College Hospital for postmortem. A 21-year-old college student died while trekking on the hills in the early hours of Friday. Following his death, Isha Yoga Centre opened a medical camp on the fourth hill for trekkers. There are three medical camps run by the health department — two at the foothill and one on the first hill.
