Shimla, March 15 – Dehradun tourists lost on Churdhar trek in HP, rescued
Reports arriving here that two tourists from Dehradun, had gone to Churdhar, wandered in the dense forest for more than eight hours who were later rescued by the police and local people. The matter is of March 12, this year. They conducted a rescue operation in the forest for about five hours where after both the tourists were found on Monday midnight at around 2 am.
Churdhar peak is the highest peak in the outer Himalayan range lying at an altitude of 3655 meters. This peak is also known as Churi-Chandni-Dhar. It is named after Shri Chureshwar or Shirgul Maharaj because locals believe that they lived here in ancient times.
The stunning Churdhaar wildlife sanctuary is hampered by exquisite fauna such as the Himalayan Black Bear, Musk deer Lanhur, and many others.
Noteworthy, these days there is a ban on travel, but despite both undertook the journey to Churdhar.
A spokesperson informed that Ashutosh and Rohit Lekhawar, residents of Dehradun, the capital of Uttarakhand, had come to Churdhar on 12 March. While they were returning back to Dehradun at around 4 pm, lost their way in the dense forest of Churdhar. Both of them also tried to contact the police but due to lack of mobile network in the forest, their difficulties increased.
Later, while wandering, they reached a point where they found mobile network, and immediately called 112 and sought help from the police. Jumping into action the police team along with the local people immediately left for the Churdhar forest. Both the tourists were rescued from the forest at midnight after searching through the forest all night.
Ashutosh and Rohit said that after losing their way, they reached a place in the dense forest, where they could not make out from where had they come, and where they were going. They were stuck in a place where there was no way forward and there were dangerous thickets below. The tourists told that they wandered hungry and thirsty throughout the night.
Point to be noted that this is not the first case of missing travellers in Churdhar forest. On April 16 2019, a boy from Madhya Pradesh and a girl from Punjab had gone missing. Later, both were rescued by helicopter.
In the year 2018, five people from Haryana lost their way in this forest. On July 2, 2018, Shruti also went missing near Teesri. After this only the skeleton was recovered.
Pertinent to mention that trekking in the State is seasonal due to the hard rugged terrains and the jungles nearby. However number of tourists under go such adventures without informing the authorities, or taking permission thus risking their lives.
Number of visitors have lost lives on various treks in Himachal Pradesh. Last year, in July the Assam Regiment rescued a woman mountaineer at Lamkhaga Pass. Vimla Devi Divasak, a woman mountaineer of an 11-member women’s mountaineering team, who went out to conquer the skyscraper cliff and passes of the Trans-Himalaya, was injured due to slipping on the Lamkhaga Pass last day.
Read: Assam Regiment rescue woman mountaineer at Lamkhaga Pass
In 2021, on the same pass, eleven trekkers had got struck. Read: Missing trekkers on Himachal Uttrakhand trek route: Five found dead at Lamkhaga pass, four missing, two rescued
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