CHANDIGARH: Five trekkers from Rajasthan who went missing in the higher reaches of Himachal Pradesh’s Dhauladhar Range were traced hours after they failed to reach a designated point and are safe, officials said.
The trekkers were identified as Ankur Malani, Satyam Sabu, Pawan, Shyam R and Tarun Rathi, all aged between 28 and 35. They were heading towards the remote Bara Bhangal tribal area, which has witnessed heavy snowfall over the past two days.
The trekkers started from Bir in Kangra district on October 5 and travelled towards Rajgundha. From there, they planned to cross Thamsar Pass, reach Bara Bhangal and then proceed to Bharmour in Chamba district on Wednesday. However, they did not reach the designated point, prompting the local woman coordinating their trek to alert the authorities.
Bharmour SDM Vikas Sharma and Baijnath SDM Sankalp Gautam confirmed that the trekkers had been traced and were safe.
"A local resident conveyed through the satellite phone that the trekkers were found at Bada Banghal. They are expected to come to an area with mobile connectivity by evening,” they added.
Sources said local shepherds had confirmed that the trekkers crossed Rajgundha before the weather deteriorated. Authorities had feared that the group could be stranded somewhere along the route to Bara Bhangal, one of the most isolated settlements in the state.
The trekkers had remained out of contact for more than 24 hours, raising concern among their families and prompting the administration to launch a search operation. The Baijnath and Bharmour administrations coordinated the operation, with teams mobilised to trace the group.
Heavy snowfall in the higher reaches over the past two days has made movement difficult and reduced visibility in the area.
Thamsar Pass, situated at an altitude of around 4,700 metres, is one of the difficult stretches connecting the Bir-Rajgundha side of Kangra with the remote Bara Bhangal region. The officials have advised trekkers to avoid the region during the current period due to snowfall and harsh weather conditions.
The Kangra administration had earlier established check posts at 10 trekking-route entry points and made registration of trekkers mandatory following incidents of trekkers going missing in the higher reaches.
