Selfie-taker survives 140 feet plunge at Karnataka’s Gokak waterfall

Belagavi: In a near miracle, a man, who fell 140 feet while clicking a selfie at Gokak waterfalls in Karnataka’s Belgavi district, survived with only minor injuries and has been rescued, police said.

The rescued man was identified as Pradeep Sagar (30), a resident of Jevargi in the Kalburgi district.

Rescued by a police team, aided by social worker Ayub Khan, Sagar only suffered minor injuries and but is in a state of shock. He has been admitted to a hospital and he is responding well, according to police.

According to police, Sagar had gone to visit the Gokak falls known as “Niagara of Karnataka” on Saturday with five of his friends. While clicking a selfie standing on a boulder near the viewpoint, he slipped and fell into the gorge.

Acting on his friends’ information, police teams searched for him near the falls till well after Saturday midnight, but could not trace him. However, his mobile phone was ringing all through.

Eventually, Sagar called his friends at about 4 a.m. on Sunday. His friends, after confirming that he is safe, informed the police again. A police team, accompanied by Khan, reached the spot immediately and managed to rescue him.