The medical student who fell from the cliff was rescued by 'Podi Malli'

A female student from the Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo, who attempted to take an unsafe selfie at the main World's End within Horton Plains National Park, fell about fifty feet down a precipice but has since been safely rescued by relief teams. The twenty-three-year-old woman, a resident of the Jaffna area, met with this accident while on a pleasure trip there with a group of friends.

This group, along with eight other students, arrived to see World's End around nine in the morning on the day of the incident. While attempting to take a selfie near the edge of the precipice, the medical student lost her balance and fell, clinging precariously to a tree branch within the precipice.

Upon seeing the student hanging from a branch in a highly dangerous situation, Francis, also known as 'Poddi Malli', a resident of Nuwara Eliya who was the driver of the vehicle that brought them, immediately sprang into action, disregarding his own life's risk. He quickly descended into the precipice, rescued the student who was clinging to the branch, and safely seated her on a rock on the slope. The courageous actions of this driver, who kept her safe for nearly an hour until relief teams, including the army, arrived at the scene, have now been widely praised.

Following a request for assistance from the Pattipola Police, the Army, and the Police Special Task Force through wildlife officials regarding the incident, a comprehensive joint rescue operation was launched. Accordingly, Manjula Monarathenna, the Manager of Horton Plains National Park, stated that commando troops from the Sri Lanka Third Sinha Regiment in Nuwara Eliya, officers from the Police Special Task Force, and a group of officers including the OIC of Pattipola Police, worked together with great effort and succeeded in safely bringing the young woman up after several hours. The rescued student has been immediately admitted to the Nuwara Eliya District General Hospital for further medical treatment.