Karnataka’s ‘Spider Man', Jyoti Raj from Chitradurga, has been called in to help find the missing trekker, Advaith Upadhyay. The Bangalore-based techie has been untraceable since August 7, when he was allegedly hiking through the Shivagange hills.
The terrain, with slopes, persistent rain and hard rocks, has proved challenging for the search operation. Nearly 100 personnel, including those from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Forest Department and police, have been deployed in the search.
Jyoti Raj, popularly known as ‘Kothi Raj’ or ‘Monkey Man’, joined the rescue operation on Wednesday and arrived at the spot with a team of five. He is famous for performing high-risk climbs and his ability to navigate through steep rock surfaces without any safety equipment.
Raj was a normal labourer from Tamil Nadu and gained widespread attention after effortlessly scaling the 90-degree stone walls of the historic Chitradurga fort with his bare hands. He has previously assisted police and local authorities during rescue operations in other difficult locations.
Local reports indicate that he searched the dangerous Shantala Drop in the Shivagange hills and several steep areas with the help of ropes. However, there has been no trace of Upadhyay.
According to reports, Upadhyay had hired a motorcycle and reached the hill around 6.30 am on August 7. His rented motorcycle was parked at the foothills. CCTV footage obtained by the police also shows him arriving at the location and beginning his ascent. He was expected to return by afternoon but did not come back.
The youngster’s online searches revealed that he was gathering information about how long it would take for a person to die after falling from Shivagange Hill, leading the police to suspect suicide. However, local reports also indicate that the police are considering the scenario in which he faked his death. He had left his search history on ChatGPT intact, raising suspicion among investigators, considering that Advait is quite technically savvy.
