Nagpur: A desperate attempt to retrieve a schoolgirl’s bag snatched by a monkey ended in an unimaginable tragedy when a 52-year-old National Cadet Corps (NCC) teacher from Nagpur plunged nearly 150 feet into a deep gorge at the picturesque Priyadarshini Viewpoint in Pachmarhi, Madhya Pradesh, on Friday morning.
The horrifying accident unfolded before around 20 schoolchildren, his teenage daughter and family members, transforming what was meant to be a joyful sunrise picnic into a traumatic experience that left the entire group devastated.
The deceased, Vijay Nayak, a resident of Khankhoje Nagar, was associated with Somalwar School in Ramdaspeth. He had organised the excursion to the popular hill station in Narmadapuram district, accompanying students from different schools, a female teacher, his 15-year-old daughter and his father, Bhavani Nayak.
The tragedy occurred around 6.45 am when the group reached Priyadarshini Viewpoint, popularly known as Forsyth Point, to witness the spectacular sunrise over the surrounding hills and valleys.
Monkey snatches bag, teacher rushes to retrieve it
According to Pachmarhi police station in-charge Gopal Ghasle, a monkey suddenly snatched a schoolgirl’s bag and fled towards the rocky edge of the viewpoint.
Nayak reportedly rushed after the animal in an attempt to recover the bag. In the process, he crossed the safety railing and moved dangerously close to the edge of the hillock.
Moments later, tragedy struck. Nayak allegedly lost his balance and plunged into the deep gorge, falling nearly 150 feet before crashing into the rugged terrain below.
The sudden disappearance of the teacher into the gorge left the children and accompanying family members horrified. What had begun as an innocent effort to help a schoolgirl retrieve her belongings turned into a fatal accident within seconds.
The incident was particularly devastating for Nayak’s teenage daughter and elderly father, who were present during the excursion.
Following the accident, police personnel and local residents launched an arduous rescue operation to reach the spot where Nayak had fallen. The rescue team had to trek nearly three kilometres through difficult, rocky terrain and descend into the gorge before locating the teacher’s body.
After considerable effort, the body was retrieved and brought up on a stretcher at around 9.30 am.
The remains were subsequently taken to a government hospital for post-mortem examination. Following completion of the autopsy, the body was handed over to Nayak’s relatives, who took it to Wardha.
The remaining members of the picnic group were sent back to Nagpur following the tragic incident.
The fatal accident has once again brought the safety arrangements at Pachmarhi’s popular tourist viewpoints under scrutiny.
Sources familiar with the area pointed to concerns over inadequate protective railings at certain locations and the persistent menace of monkeys that frequently snatch food, bags and belongings from unsuspecting visitors.
Local residents claim that monkey attacks and related incidents leave around five to 10 tourists injured daily at various tourist destinations in Pachmarhi.
The tragedy has highlighted the potentially deadly consequences of visitors approaching monkeys or crossing protective barriers in an attempt to recover stolen belongings.
For Nayak’s family and the schoolchildren accompanying him, however, the sunrise excursion will forever remain etched in memory as a heartbreaking journey that ended with the sudden and tragic loss of a teacher who apparently rushed to help a student.
