Successful snowbound rescue of 5 tourists near Losar village in Spiti
Shimla, Dec 19,
In a joint effort, local authorities, youth, and rescue teams successfully saved five tourists who were stranded for three days on the Kaza and Manali road, 40 km from Losar village in Lahaul Spiti district.
The rescue mission was initiated on December 17, 2023, after the administration received information that a Fortuner vehicle had left Losar for Manali. Despite warnings from local residents about the challenging snowbound conditions, the vehicle proceeded, leading to its occupants being stranded.
The stranded individuals were identified as Lakshya Garg (driver) from Dwarka Puri, Sirsa, Haryana; Yash Dhingra from Karol Bagh, Central Delhi; Ayush Panghal from Rohini, Northern West Delhi; Ansh Bharti from Ratu Road, Hehal, Ranchi, Jharkhand; and Anshul Chauhan from village Chogaon, Tehsil Kotkhai, District Shimla.
Efforts to rescue the tourists faced challenges, with rescue teams from both Spiti and Keylong sides encountering excessive snow, causing their vehicles to get stuck. The rescue team, comprising local administration, ITBP, BRO, private contractors, Public Works Department, Forest Department, Police, and local youth, regrouped at Losar rest house after a partial return on the first day.
On Tuesday morning, the team resumed the operation, reaching Batal Rest House at 2:30 pm, where the tourists had taken shelter. However, about ten kilometers away from Batal, the rescue team’s vehicle encountered difficulty on the slippery road. Despite the setback, they pressed on foot to successfully reach the stranded tourists.
The tourists, who had endured a harrowing night in freezing temperatures on December 17, were in poor health when the rescue team reached them. Three of the tourists had attempted to seek help on foot but returned exhausted. Eventually, the group decided to break into a locked rest house in Batal for shelter.
The successful rescue operation was led by SDM Harsh Amarendra Negi, with Naib Tehsildar Prem Singh also playing a crucial role. The involvement of Spiti’s youth was particularly lauded by the Lahaul Spiti administration, expressing gratitude to all participants.
The rescue team includes local administration, ITBP, BRO, garg son’s estate promoter pvt Ltd, new India contractors and developers pvt Ltd, Public Works Department, Forest Department, Police, Losar Kaza, youth and TAC members from various villages of Spiti and Kesang Rapchik was involved in the operation.
Following their safe rescue, the tourists conveyed heartfelt gratitude to the state government, Chief Minister Thakur Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu, the Lahaul Spiti District Administration, and the local community for their concerted efforts in the rescue operation.
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