Octagenarian who ventured into forest rescued after six days, had no food

MANGALURU: An 82-year-old man, who had ventured into the forest to fetch firewood and had lost his way, was finally rescued after six days of search operations, at Shibaje in Belthangady taluk.

Vasu Ranya, a resident of Ainguda, has set out into the forest on May 21 with just a sickle in his hand. When he did not return that evening, locals started looking for him. They continued the search in the following days without any result.

On May 26, Vasu’s family members had taken the goats for grazing to another hill when they heard some sounds. Immediately the Sri Kshetra Dharamastala’s Shaurya Emergency Response teams started a search and found Vasu under a tree at Bandihola forest about 3 km away from his house.

Vasu Ranya spent six days in the forest drinking water but no food. Vasu told the rescue teams that he never felt afraid in the forest. He had also made himself a bed of leaves under the tree and said he never moved from there.