33-year-old TN man falls from Penukonda Hill Fort, rescued

A picnic to the historic Penukonda Fort in Sri Sathya Sai district on Sunday (August 24) turned into a nightmare for a 33-year-old man from Tiruchy in Tamil Nadu, after he slipped into a deep gorge from the hilltop and was trapped between huge boulders. He was rescued by the police and fire personnel after a gruelling three-hour operation.

Being a Sunday, Vignesh, along with his friends, all working at a subsidiary unit of the Kia Motors near Penukonda, reached the top of the 14th century fort to have a scenic view of the landscape. While walking along an edge above a precipitous slope, Vignesh slipped into a gorge and fell to a depth of 30 feet, caught between boulders after tumbling over a rock. The impact resulted in multiple fractures to his legs and an arm.

Fire and police personnel rushed to the hilltop and launched a prolonged rescue operation. Considering the inaccessible slopes around, the team had to deploy rope parties and trekking gear. “We initially thought the operation would be impossible due to the terrain, said Circle Inspector of Penukonda Raghavan.

After the rescue, Vignesh was taken to the area hospital at Penukonda. Doctors said that despite the critical injuries, his condition remained stable.

Superintendent of Police V. Ratna appealed to visitors to the Penukonda Fort to exercise caution while negotiating the precarious terrain atop the hill.