A. Saravanakumar, the 26-year-old Electronic Engineer, set off for the Sathuragiri hill temple on May 16 to launch his maiden anti-plastic awareness campaign little realising that it would be his last campaign.
After joining Art of Living, a volunteer-based humanitarian organisation, Saravanakumar and his friends B. Anand and Muthukrishnan from the district went to the hill temple.
The trio were taking bath near the Sanga Kaliamman Koil while returning to the plains after offering worship at the temple atop, when they were caught in the flash floods.
Saravanakumar was washed away, while his friends escaped.
Family sources said the three became friends when they attended the 10-day long youth leadership training programme, organised by the Art of Living at Kodaikanal in April. After the programme they decided to do some social service and chose the Sathuragiri hill temple for launching the campaign.
Saravanakumar called his mother after reaching the hill but could not be reached after television channels broke the news of flash floods, family members said.
“He was looking down and drying his head with a towel after taking bath when flash floods swept him away in seconds,” says Ananad, who witnessed the tragedy.
Before climbing up the hill, the trio hung a banner near the forest office, asking the pilgrims to avoid use of plastics on the hill.
Saravanakumar was washed away in flash floods in Sathuragiri but his two friends escaped
