Miracle in Madikeri: Toddler Survives Night Alone in Plantation
In a heart-stopping incident that unfolded in Kongana village, a two-year-old girl named Sunanya went missing for 14 anxious hours before being miraculously reunited with her parents early Sunday morning. The child, who had been left to play with other children while her parents worked, spent the entire night alone in a coffee plantation, sparking a massive search operation involving villagers and forest officials.
The Disappearance That Shook the Village
The harrowing ordeal began on Saturday when Sunanya's parents, Sunil and Nagini from the Jenu Kuruba community, took their daughter to the coffee plantation where they worked as laborers. The family had arrived in Kongana village just five days earlier and were employed at the plantation owned by Kademada Shari Ganapathi.
While the parents worked, Sunanya played with six other children in the plantation. However, when the workday ended in the evening, tragedy struck - all the other children were present except Sunanya. The parents immediately realized their daughter was missing, beginning what would become a night of terror and uncertainty.
Frantic Overnight Search Operation
The disappearance triggered an immediate response from the local community and authorities. Forest staff who joined the search made a chilling discovery - tiger footprints in the coffee plantation and the carcass of a forest pig that had been hunted by the big cat nearby.
This frightening development heightened concerns for the child's safety. The plantation owner reported the incident to local police, and soon over 30 personnel from the forest department joined villagers in combing the plantation throughout the night. Despite their determined efforts, no trace of the missing girl could be found as darkness enveloped the area.
Heroic Rescue and Emotional Reunion
The breakthrough came on Sunday morning when Gram panchayat president Kollira Bopanna and his close friend Kademada Anil Kalappa resumed the search with Kalappa's pet dog, Oreo. The canine hero proved instrumental in the rescue, guiding the search team directly to where Sunanya was sitting near a coffee plant, completely unharmed.
At 7 AM on Sunday, the nightmare ended as Sunanya was safely reunited with her overwhelmed parents. The forest department team, including SI Pradeep Kumar and DRFO JK Sridhar from Gonikoppal, had been part of the successful search operation that brought the family back together.
The relieved parents expressed their gratitude to the villagers and forest officials whose collective efforts made the miraculous rescue possible, ending what could have been a devastating tragedy with a joyful reunion instead.
