An Indian hiker has been rescued after spending 48 hours trapped in a crevice on a treacherous slope on a hill in southern Kerala.
R Babu, 23, from Malampuzha, fell into the hole on Kurumbachi hill in Palakkad on Monday.
Army officers crawled for four hours to reach him. They gave him water before helping him to the hilltop.
Indian Army drone footage showed the moment Mr Babu emerged safely with the aid of a rope as rescue teams cheered him.
“In a spectacular action, highly qualified teams of the Indian Army have successfully rescued Mr Babu who slipped off a cliff and was stranded in a steep gorge for over 48 hours,” the Indian Army tweeted.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan called in the army on Tuesday after other attempts to rescue Mr Babu failed. An Indian Air Force mountaineering team and the National Disaster Response Force also joined the operation.
The rescued man had been hiking with three friends when he slipped and became stuck in the cleft of the hill. His friends tried wooden sticks, logs and ropes before descending the hill to seek the help of villagers and police.
A coastguard helicopter sent to the ridge had to stop flying in bad weather. An Indian Navy helicopter tried to lower a rope but Mr Babu could not reach it.
For more than two days, he painfully squatted in a tiny space without food and water. He suffered minor leg injuries.
He sent pictures from his position trapped in the crevice to his family using WhatsApp, helping his rescuers locate him.
GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The biog
Name: Shamsa Hassan Safar
Nationality: Emirati
Education: Degree in emergency medical services at Higher Colleges of Technology
Favourite book: Between two hearts- Arabic novels
Favourite music: Mohammed Abdu and modern Arabic songs
Favourite way to spend time off: Family visits and spending time with friends
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What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
