300 feet down and bleeding, Kerala man saved in ‘Manjummel Boys’-style operation in Idukki viewpoint

Thodupuzha, Kerala: In a dramatic rescue at Chathanpara Viewpoint in Idukki district, Vishnu S. Nair from Vengalloor, Thodupuzha, survived a 300-foot fall into the infamous "Rakshasa Kokka" gorge, a location known for previous fatal accidents.

The incident happened late Sunday night when Vishnu and six friends were returning from a trip to Vagamon.

While preparing to get back into their car parked near the viewpoint around 10:30 PM, the group realised Vishnu was missing. A scream from below confirmed he had fallen into the gorge.

The rescue mission that followed bore a striking resemblance to the plot of the Malayalam blockbuster Manjummel Boys. Just as the film portrayed a daring rescue from Guna Caves, Vishnu’s friends, along with fire and rescue officials, carried out an elaborate and high-risk operation to save him.

Initially, one of his friends, Nidhin, climbed down to help but also slipped and was injured. The group managed to pull Nidhin back up, and another friend, Amal, quickly alerted the fire and rescue services.

The officials from Moolamattom and Thodupuzha fire stations rushed to the spot.

In a daring operation, a firefighter and a Civil Defence volunteer, equipped with safety gear, descended into the steep gorge despite poor visibility, thick fog, slippery rocks, and thorny undergrowth.

They eventually located Vishnu lying face down, bleeding and severely injured.

Two more rescue personnel joined the effort, and after carefully securing Vishnu, they pulled him back up by around 1:30 AM. Police and KSEB officials also assisted at the scene.

Vishnu was taken to Baby Memorial Hospital in Thodupuzha in a fire service ambulance. His wife, Parvathy, a nurse at the same hospital, had no idea her husband was the accident victim.

Vishnu, an engineer based in Thiruvananthapuram, remains in the neuro ICU with a serious head injury and a fractured shoulder.