GS Sharanya, the techie from Kerala, who went missing for four days during a trek in Karnataka, is now facing a probe for allegedly faking her disappearance. The investigation follows a complaint from the BJP leaders, who have raised suspicions over the techie's story.
Sharanya, a 36-year-old IT professional and a native of Nadapuram in the Kozhikode district of Kerala, set out to climb Thadiyandamol, the highest peak in Kodagu, Karnataka on April 2. While coming down, she got separated from her group and lost her way. She tried tracing her path back to the group but ended up deep in a dense forest, where she spent four days, surviving on nothing but water.
The rural unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party in the Kodagu district submitted a complaint on Tuesday (April 7) to the Napoklu Police Station, raising concerns over the case involving a missing trekker.
In the complaint, the party stated that discussions on social media have led to suspicions regarding the incident. It urged the police to conduct a thorough investigation into the matter without any political pressure.
The BJP leaders believe the techie faked the incident and caused losses to the government. The public has the right to seek clarity and transparency, they added and requested that the police to examine the matter and provide a clear explanation.
The police have not registered a First Information Report (FIR) but have decided to investigate the case as a petition.
"When we saw and spoke to her after the rescue, we had no reason to doubt anything she said. However, now that some doubts are being raised, we will probe that angle as well. We will thoroughly examine the sequence of events and her claims," a police official, who was part of the rescue team, said.
In an interview with NDTV, Sharanya said that she began trekking at around 8 am and reached the peak by 10:40 am. The techie, who was accompanied by a group of 12 people, lost her way while climbing down.
"I was moving ahead with two of the trekkers, but I was moving a little faster, and as a result, I got separated from them. When I looked back, I saw them sitting on a rock, so I decided to wait, but when I looked back again, they were nowhere to be seen. I tried looking for other trekkers, who were on the top, towards my left. I decided to join them there, but by the time I reached the pitstop, they were nowhere to be found," Sharanya said.
The homestay owner, who was waiting for her at the check post, called her just before her phone died.
"I told him I had lost my way and asked him to inform the authorities," she added.
Sharanya said she tried texting a friend, asking for help, but her phone died before she could hit the send button. She then sat on a big rock near a narrow stream, hoping for a miraculous escape. The trekker was carrying a 500 ml water bottle which she refilled from the stream.
"I didn't carry food since it was considered an easy trek. I survived on three litres of water every day."
Stranded in a forest, where wild animals like elephants are sighted frequently, Sharanya said that "surprisingly she wasn't very scared."
Four days later, on April 5, she was spotted by a group of locals in a remote patch of the forest "where nobody usually goes", according to members of the rescue team.
Ever since the news went viral on social media, some people have found her story a little unbelievable.
"Fake publicity nothing else. 4 days without food and water she seems very energetic.. something fishy and she needs to be investigated and booked for wasting people's time and resources. No chance she would have survived in the jungle surrounded by wild animals..," a social media user commented.
"Levy a hefty fine on her and if there is a provision, imprison her for wasting tax payers' money," added another.
© Copyright NDTV Convergence Limited 2026. All rights reserved.
