Tourists create ruckus near pilgrim site, block road; youths risk lives at waterfall in Mudigere

CHIKKAMAGALUR: Tourists visiting the pristine hills during the rainy season are creating havoc at pilgrim and picnic spot, much to the annoyance of locals and other travellers.

On Sunday, a group of youth parked their cars on either side of the road and were dancing in the middle of the road while playing loud music, obstructing movement of vehicles, near Devaramane Gudda, a wellknown pilgrim site in Mudigere taluk.

Other visitors faced inconvenience as the group of youths had blocked the road. The group even consumed alcohol and smoked cigarettes there and did not even heed to locals and other visitors to clear the road. Locals had demanded the police to deploy more personnel at Devaramane Gudda on weekends to control unruly visitors.

Being a weekend, there was huge rush at Devaramane Gudda which has come alive with the incessant rain. It houses a historical stone temple of Kalabhairaveshwara built during the time of the Hoysala empire. The place is visited by pilgrims through the year.

Meanwhile, another group of youths risked their lives standing on slippery rocks and dancing at the Charmadi Ghat waterfall in Mudigere taluk. The group had deliberately ignored a warning sign not to climb on the rocks.

The visitors don’t seem to care about the Banakal police who are on patrol. If they get sent away from one place, they go to another place and create a ruckus. In the past, there have been several cases where tourists have fallen at waterfalls and suffered broken bones or even lost their lives.