Team Mangalorean - Bangalore
from Shweta Somaya
File pics courtesy Usha Shetty

Bangalore: Satwik Shastri (24), a software engineer hailing from Panduranga Nagar and employed with New Sigma software firm, has gone missing during a trekking mission in the Bannerghatta forest area since Saturday afternoon.

He was with two others Ashish and Anupam who had gone trekking into the Kasavanakunte segment of the Bannerghatta. According to them, Satwik had parked his bike at the Ragihalli road and begun his trek track near the temple rock. The three met at another end of the Kasavanakunte village and returned to the temple rock area. Then they began their trek together towards the forest.

Since it was getting dark, they were walking fast. Satwik is said to have lagged behind. When the other two looked back after covering a distance, Satwik was not found. They called out for him but he could not be found.

They returned to the park area and filed a complaint with the Bannerghatta police. Since injury marks were found on their bodies, the police interrogated them also,

Based on their complaint, the police, joined by 30 forest watchers, 50 villagers, Satwik's father Dinesh Shastri, Ashish and Anupam, made a search inside the Kasavanakunte forest. Until Sunday evening, there was no success. Constant showers and presence of wild elephant herds forced them to suspend the search for the day.

Speaking to our correspondent, Dinesh Shastri said that it was his son's hobby to go on trekking. Whenever he met his childhood friends they would go on trekking.  Ashish said that they were hurrying bak since it was getting dark. Satwik went aside to answer nature's call and could not be found thereafter. Anupam said that they made a search for some time but could not continue in the dark. Later, using the mobile phones for light, they made their way out of the forest and contacted the police.