Chikkamagaluru (Karnataka): A search operation was launched after a class 10 student from Kerala went missing during a family trip to Manikyadhara Falls in the Chandradrona hill range, police said on Wednesday.

The girl was part of a group of around 40 relatives who had travelled from Palakkad, officials added.

According to police, she went missing at around 5.30 pm on Tuesday while at the falls with her family. The family searched for her until about 8 pm before informing the authorities.

After receiving the report, police and forest department personnel launched a search operation in the area, a senior officer said. The search continued through the night, he added.

Thermal drones were deployed to locate the girl until 4.30 am.

Disaster management teams joined the operation this morning, and the search is ongoing, the officer said.

He noted that the area is usually crowded and expressed hope that the girl would be found soon.

Karnataka Forest, Ecology and Environment Minister Eshwar Khandre has directed the Forest Department to assist the district administration and police in tracing the minor girl, who went missing during a trek at Chandradrona Hill in Chikkamagaluru district.

In a note issued, the minister said the girl, identified as Kumari Shrinanda, has been missing since Tuesday evening after she had come for trekking at Chandradrona Hill.

Although the trekking route does not fall under the jurisdiction of the Forest Department, the minister said the area consists of hills, mounds, and dense vegetation similar to forest terrain, making the department's assistance necessary.

Khandre instructed officials to immediately deploy trained forest personnel and provide modern equipment, including thermal drones, to support the search operation.

He also directed the Forest Department to coordinate with the district administration and police in locating the missing girl.

The officer also cited a recent incident in Kodagu district, where a 36-year-old woman from Kerala went missing while trekking in the Tadiandamol hills and was later traced and reunited with her family. PTI