3 of film unit lost in forest rescued by police after night-long search

Kanigiri (Prakasam): Three members of a Telugu film unit brought tense moments to the Prakasam district police when they lost their way in Nallamala forest on Sunday night. The panic-stricken director Pratap, cameraman Pravin and comedian Mani Kumar were suffering from dehydration and nausea when the rescue team brought them to CS Puram police station in Prakasam district. According to reports, the three formed a film unit which was shooting different sequences of their upcoming film for three days at Bhairavakona forest area bordering three districts of Prakasam, Nellore and Kadapa. However, the unit was camping at Kavali in Prakasam district. Sunday being break for film shooting, the three accompanied by an artiste preferred to pay a visit to Trimukha Durga Devi temple near Bhairavakona. After offering puja to the goddess, they watched a near-by waterfall. The beauty of nature had a spell on them who wanted to visit Panchalingalakona atop the hill to have a look at the origin of the waterfall. It was already six in the evening by then. The artiste accompanying them stayed back at the temple waiting for them while the trio trekked the hill. A wild boar in the forest perceived threat to lives of its new-born from the three strange human beings and started chasing them to attack. Scared by the unexpected enemy in the jungle, the film team ran helter-skelter. Even as they ran for safety, they lost track of time and direction. Being forest area, darkness descended a bit early adding to the woes of the trapped film unit members. Their cellular phones were weak in receiving signals in the hour of crisis. The batteries of phones also started discharging at a fast pace because of their overuse of the phone in an anxiety to find one another. They began screaming for help wandering aimlessly in the dark jungle out of fear. Luck tilted on their side when the three managed to meet at a place. They rang up 100 to seek help from the police to get out of the dangerous location. But the weak signals hampered their efforts to connect to the civil society. After many unsuccessful attempts, they managed to establish contact with Prakasam district Police Helpline. The only signal of a private telephone company worked in the forest area rendering other phones they were carrying useless. A Acting on the instructions from the district Superintendent of Police, Pamuru Circle Inspector Shaik Baji Jaan Saida, along with Sub-Inspector Lal Ahmed and his team of policemen swung into search operation without delay. On the other hand, it was horrible time for the film unit members in the jungle as they were vulnerable to attacks from wild animals and poisonous insects and reptiles. Added to their worry and nervousness, no food intake and excessive sweating had adverse affect on their health. Nonavailability of water exhausted their energies. Their only hope in the animal world for survival was the news about the police search. Unable to search for them in the vast woods in the night, the police tried to spot the area of the lost film crew. They asked them to tell something special they noticed in the vicinity. Then the lost trio told the searching team that they could see lights in a distant place. The police then alerted all sub-stations to help them by regulating power supplies to tribal hamlets. It was their only plan that could help get closer to the lost. They asked the power staff to switch off the power for some time and switch on later alternatively for few minutes to enable the trapped persons catch the twinkling lights. After some time, the police team succeeded in spotting the location where the film crew was stranded. They identified that the spot was located near Peddireddipally of Nellore district. Then the police team embarked on the troublesome task of reaching out to the exact location by protecting themselves from the dangers of the forest. They used crackers to scare animals away from their route and inched into deepest pockets of Nallamala. They forgot their night-long stress when they spotted the film crew waiting for help in the dangerous location. It was already 5.30 am on Monday by then. The film crew was brought to CS Puram police station and offered water and food to get them relieved from the dehydration they contacted out of their ordeal in the dark woods.