India, April 10 -- A 15-year-old girl from Kerala who went missing during a family visit to a tourist site in Karnataka's Chikkamagaluru district was found dead on Friday in a valley near the Manikyadhara waterfalls, police said, concluding a large-scale search operation that spanned several days.

The student, from Kadambazhipuram in Palakkad district, disappeared on Tuesday evening while part of a group of about 40 relatives visiting the Chandradrona hill ranges. Her absence was noticed her absence after reaching the summit, triggering a search led by the Chikkamagaluru Rural police.

Chikkamagaluru Superintendent of Police Jitendra Kumar Dayama confirmed that the body had been traced. "The body has been spotted and identified. It may b...