E-Paper
Body of Latvian trekker missing since Sept ’18 found near Manimahesh lake in Chamba
The 32-year-old was on a solo trek from Mcleodganj to Leh.
A decomposed body of a Latvian trekker, who had gone missing in September last year, has been recovered from Kamal Kund near Manimahesh lake in Bharmaur subdivision of Chamba district, police said on Saturday.
The deceased, 32-year-old Aleksandra Cawa Ruzga, had embarked on his expedition from Dharamshala’s Mcleodganj to Leh on September 14, 2018.
Chamba superintendent of police (SP) Monika Bhutungru said some locals had on Thursday spotted a body on their way to Manimahesh lake following which, a police team was sent to retrieve it. The body was brought to Harsar base camp on Saturday and further sent to Chamba Medical College and Hospital for autopsy. The police established the identity through the passport recovered from Aleksandra’s backpack.
Last contact made with the trekker was on September 18, 2018 near Nag Dal lake near the 4,350-mt-high Indrahar Pass in the Dhauladhar range.
In a Facebook post then, his mother Inna Sinchuka had mentioned that Aleksandra left Dharamshala on September 14 and did not contact her after that. She said he was planning to attend a meditation course in Leh from October 17 to 28.
His mother then filed a missing person’s report with the Latvian police, who informed their Indian counterparts and the latter launched an extensive search spanning several days to find him.
Meanwhile, the Chamba police have informed the Latvian embassy in New Delhi about the recovery.
