DEHRADUN: Authorities in Uttarakhand have launched a massive, multi-agency search operation across two separate trekking routes after two trekkers went missing in the last 24 hours.
Despite treacherous terrain and adverse weather conditions that forced temporary suspensions, rescue teams—comprising the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), local police, and forest department personnel—resumed their search operations on Sunday evening.
The missing individuals include a woman from Nainital, who went missing on the Dayara Bugyal trek in Uttarkashi, and a man from Noida, who lost his way near the Pindari Glacier in the Bageshwar district.
In Uttarkashi, the search for Babita Pandey, the trekker reported missing on the Dayara Bugyal route, began late Saturday night. The SDRF received an alert via the Bhatwari police post at approximately 10.25 pm.
A specialised 17-member joint team, led by Sub-Inspector Gabbar Singh, was immediately mobilised. Due to pitch darkness and difficult terrain, the team halted their initial advance at Natin, resuming their search at first light.
"Our teams have reached the 'Ghoi' area, where the trekking group had established a campsite," Sub-Inspector Gabbar Singh said.
While the two male trekkers accompanying Pandey were located safe and sound, the search for the missing woman continued across the dense forests and trails leading toward Dayara Bugyal, located approximately three kilometres from the site.
Simultaneously, in Bageshwar district, a high-stakes search operation is underway for a trekker named Vishesh Chauhan from Noida, who went missing near the Pindari Glacier.
SDRF Commandant Arpan Yaduvanshi told TNIE, "We received information from the Kapkot police station on Friday night. Chauhan, who was accompanied by a local porter, reportedly got separated during their descent and failed to return to the base as scheduled. We immediately dispatched an SDRF team to initiate a search".
Despite the intensity of the search, the situation remains critical. The rescue team, led by Head Constable Teeka Singh Karki, utilised rope techniques to descend 60–70 meters into ravines based on information provided by the guide.
While they successfully recovered Chauhan's camera near the banks of the Pinder River, the trekker himself remains untraced. Officials have cited relentless heavy rain and deteriorating weather as the primary impediments to the mission.
"Safety is paramount. The extreme weather conditions have made it impossible to push further into the high-altitude zones for the time being," a rescue official noted.
Authorities have confirmed that search efforts are ongoing, with specialised teams poised to escalate the operation the moment meteorological conditions stabilise.
