A 35-year-old man from Kanyadi in Dakshina Kannada district died after collapsing while climbing the historic Deviramma Hill in Chikkamagaluru district on Sunday morning, during the Deepavali festivities.

The deceased was Lakshman, 35, a resident of Kanyadi. He reportedly collapsed while climbing the hill along the route from Mallenahalli and died on the spot.

He worked at Bosch in Bengaluru. He had visited his brother-in-law's house in Huvinahalla, and after travelling through the night, he set out to climb the hill with his brother-in-law in the early hours of Sunday.

There was dense fog over the hill in the morning when Lakshman collapsed while climbing. Police said he reportedly suffered a heart attack, and District Superintendent of Police Jitendra Kumar Dayama said Lakshman had undergone heart surgery in the past.

Fire and emergency services personnel brought his body down the hill. It was later shifted to the government hospital in Chikkamagaluru for a post-mortem examination.

Youth injured in fall from hilltop

In a separate incident on the same hill, a 21-year-old youth was seriously injured after falling from the top of Deviramma Betta.

The injured youth has been identified as Darshan, 21, a resident of Tarikere. He had fallen from the hilltop while returning after darshan and suffered serious injuries to his leg and head.

Fire department personnel rescued him and carried him down the hill. He was being treated at a private hospital in Chikkamagaluru.

Third devotee rescued near Manikyadhara Falls

In another separate incident, Sunil, 31, a resident of Mandya, slipped and fell while taking the route near Manikyadhara Falls.

Police personnel, fire and emergency services staff and fellow devotees rescued him. He was reportedly unwell following the fall, and fire personnel carried him down the hill and shifted him to hospital for treatment.

Festival crowds at Deviramma Hill

The Deviramma Temple is situated at Deviramma Hill in the Chandradrona mountain range. The deity's utsava murthy is taken to the hilltop only once a year.

This year, devotees have been allowed to trek to the hilltop only after obtaining passes, given the heavy crowds.