The Pune Rural police and other rescue agencies have intensified the search operation for the 24-year-old mechanical engineer from Delhi, Farhan Serajuddin, who went missing during a trekking trip to Nagphani near Lonavala on May 20. Search parties have deployed drones to survey dense forest areas, officials said.
Police officials said Farhan had come to Kolhapur last week for work and he then visited Pune.
Deputy Superintendent of Police Rajendra Patil said, “We now know that Farhan started his trek on the morning of May 20. He climbed the Nagphani area, also known as Duke’s Nose, and was returning when he realised that he had lost his way. In his last communication with a friend in Delhi on the afternoon of May 20, he said that he had lost his way in the forest. He even asked the friend to start looking for him if he failed to find a way out in a couple of hours. It is after this communication that his phone became unreachable.”
After Farhan’s family approached the police, the local police station, dog squads, expert rescuers from Lonavala and villagers from Khopoli and Kurwande launched a search operation. Farhan’s family members have also reached Pune and joined the search operation.
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Patil said, “We have intensified the search now. We have covered a large perimeter around his last cell tower location. We are using drones to survey large tracts of the forest. We have also spoken to some people and trekkers who have seen him on his way to Duke’s Nose. We will continue to work on all the clues available. People should approach Lonavala police station if they have any information about him.”
