Kerala teen death in Karnataka: Relative says body found 150m from last seen location, spot was searched before

The tragic discovery of a 15-year-old girl's body in Karnataka has left her family and authorities puzzled. Here's what her relatives said.

Published on: Apr 11, 2026, 12:51:25 IST

By Yamini C S

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Relatives of the 15-year-old Kerala girl found dead in Karnataka’s Chikkamagaluru have recounted the final moments where she was last seen, saying she was moving around with other children and had stopped to take photographs near the Manikyadhara waterfall shortly before she went missing.

Found just meters from where frantic searches took place, questions arise about the circumstances of the Kerala-based teenager's disappearance. (Representational)

ALSO READ | 15-year-old missing Kerala trekker found dead in Karnataka's Chikkamagaluru valley; police probe cause

According to family members, the teenager, identified as Srinanda from Kerala's Palakkad district, had been part of a large group of around 40 relatives visiting the Chandradrona hill ranges when she disappeared on Tuesday evening. “She was with other children and had paused to take photos near the waterfall before she vanished,” relatives told investigators, describing the moments leading up to the incident.

ALSO READ | After 2 disappearances, officials asked to make SOP for trekking safety

In a striking detail, a relative said the girl’s body was eventually found about 150 metres from where she was last seen, a location that had already been searched earlier. “When I called her parents to say she hadn’t reached the entrance, both of them were standing in the area where her body has now been found,” the relative said, adding that police had previously checked the same spot but had found nothing.

Family members also pointed out that the location where the body was recovered lies on the opposite side of the parking area, raising further questions about how she ended up there. As police continue to probe the circumstances surrounding her death, the relatives’ statements have added a new layer of complexity to the case.

ALSO READ | Kerala teen missing in Chikkamagaluru: Cops

The teenager’s mother had earlier expressed doubts about the possibility of an accidental fall, alleging that her daughter may have been abducted or harmed. However, police have said it “may be an accident” while saying that other angles are also being investigated.

The body was recovered on Friday, bringing to an end a massive multi-day search operation involving dozens of teams, drones, and forest officials.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yamini C S
Yamini CS is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly six years of experience in digital journalism. She is part of the India News desk, where she works on a wide range of stories cutting across civic issues, city-based developments, politics, governance, public policy, breaking news, trending topics, and international affairs that have an impact on India. Her role involves tracking fast-moving developments, verifying information from official and on-ground sources, and presenting news in a clear, accessible format for a digital-first audience. A significant part of her work includes handling live blogs during major news events, such as elections, court verdicts, political developments, civic disruptions, protests, weather-related alerts, and unfolding national or international incidents. Through live coverage, she focuses on timely updates to help readers follow complex stories as they evolve. Before moving to the broader India News desk, Yamini was associated with the Bengaluru desk at Hindustan Times, where she extensively covered urban governance, infrastructure, traffic and transport issues, weather events, public grievances, and civic administration in the city. This experience strengthened her grounding in city reporting and sharpened her focus on citizen-centric journalism. She began her career as a correspondent with Reuters after completing a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. Her early training instilled a strong emphasis on accuracy, sourcing, and news ethics, which continue to shape her reporting style. Outside of work, Yamini enjoys reading across genres, listening to music, and spending time with her family, which help her maintain balance in a fast-paced newsroom environment.Read More

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