Haryana trekker among two killed on Kinner Kailash way

Bhanu P Lohumi

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Tribune News Service

Shimla, June 26

The misadventure by a five-member trekking expedition to the Kinner Kailash peak in Kinnaur district proved fatal for two while three were rescued today.

The deceased were identified as Varun Singh, a resident of Jhajjar in Haryana, and Piyush Verma of Kumarsein in Shimla district. The trekkers reportedly died near Parvati Kund due to extreme cold conditions following a snowfall as they were not carrying enough clothes.

Three others were brought to Reckong Peo by rescue parties, said DC Gopal Chand, adding that these trekkers had gone to Kinner Kailash without permission.

The trekker from Haryana, who was alone, joined the four from Kumarsein. Two of them were not well. They called up the administration last night and informed it about their location following which a rescue team was sent.

Meanwhile, the Kinnaur administration reviewed the situation in the aftermath of the tragedy at a high-level meeting and the DC imposed a ban on trekking to Kinner Kailash.

“The decision has been taken keeping in view the safety of trekkers and no person will be permitted to take up the journey without permission of the administration,” he said, adding that the police had been deployed and barriers set up at Tanglang to stop the trekkers.

The state government has decided to make it mandatory for trekkers to carry a GPS device so that their location could be identified and timely help provided in case of emergency.

The incidents of tourists going missing, getting stranded due to bad weather conditions and landslides in Shimla, Kullu, Kinnaur, Lahaul and Spiti and Chamba districts have been on the increase and in most of the cases, the district administration is not informed.

Three rescued

The deceased were identified as Varun Singh, a resident of Jhajjar in Haryana, and Piyush Verma of Kumarsein in Shimla district. The trekkers reportedly died near Parvati Kund due to extreme cold conditions following a snowfall. Three members were rescued. They were not carrying enough clothes