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Two youths killed in snowstorm near Dharamshala in Himachal
Two youths were killed and two rescued after they were trapped in a snowstorm on the Rising Star hill overlooking Dharamshala town in Himachal on Sunday
Two youths were killed and two rescued after they were trapped in a snowstorm on the Rising Star hill overlooking Dharamshala town on Sunday.
The deceased have been identified as Akash Kumar, 20, a resident of Nurpur who worked at Kuldeep Nagar, in Haryana’s Ambala district, and Rohit Kumar, 16, from Slate Godam village of Dharamshala.
Two others, Rohit Kumar, 18, and Satyam, 15, both of them from Slate Godam village, have been admitted to the Zonal Hospital, Dharamshala, and their condition is stated to be stable.
The body of one of the deceased, Akash, has been recovered by the rescuers. Additional superintendent of police Puneet Raghu said the four friends had gone on trekking in the sliding zone area behind the Rising Star hill in the foothills of the Dhauladhar mountains. After they didn’t return home, the family members informed the police. A rescue team sent to search the missing youth on Saturday could not trace them amid heavy snowfall.
“On Sunday three joint teams of Mountaineering Institute, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and local police resumed the search and rescue operation,” said Raghu.
“Unfortunately, two of them have died. Both of them had sustained injuries after falling from a cliff and were unable to move,” he added.
Raghu said the body of one of the deceased has been brought to the base camp. Local MLA Vishal Nehria, who was also involved in the rescue efforts, said that the government would provide all possible help to the families of youths killed in the mishap.
Kangra had imposed a ban on trekking on a high hill in November last year till the winter season is over.
Apart from it, the district administration issues warnings from time to time.
Meanwhile, AICC secretary and former minister Sudhir Sharma has expressed grief over the loss of young lives in the incident.
He said that young people could have been saved had there been proper rescue arrangements in place.
Sharma said despite the fact that Dharamshala has the nearest snowline in the world, the hill town still lacks rescue facilities. “The government should make arrangements for rescue equipment, whether drones, helicopters, specialised teams and dog squads,” he said.
Recent tragedies
Three trekkers had died near Manimahesh Lake in Chamba on September 12 and 13, 2021, while undertaking the Parikrama of Manimahesh Kailash.
Two trekkers were killed and 15 rescued on Manali-Khamengar Pass- Manirang trek route in Lahaul-Spiti district on September 24-25.
Seven trekkers died after being caught in a snowstorm over the Lamkhaga Pass which connects Uttarkashi in Uttrakhand with Chhitkul in Kinnaur.
Three trekkers were killed in a snowstorm on Buran Pass while trekking from Rohru of Shimla to Sangla in Kinnaur. Seven were rescued alive.
