Kullu: Body of missing Delhi trekker found on Manikaran-Kheer Ganga trekking route

KULLU, APRIL 6

The body of a trekker was found on the Manikaran-Kheer Ganga trekking route in the Parbati valley of this district yesterday.

Kullu SP Gurdev Sharma said the deceased was identified as Durg Aggarwal from Delhi by his brother.

He said the victim had arrived in Kasol on November 8 last year and left for trekking to Kheer Ganga the next day and went missing. The police carried out a search operation but his whereabouts were not traced.

The SP said the body had been sent for the post-mortem examination. A forensic team had inspected the spot and further investigations were underway.

Despite repeated warnings and advisories issued by the district administration, many enthusiasts risk their lives and go for trekking without proper equipment or trained guides. Many trekkers have lost their lives in Kullu district.

Many tourists, including foreigners, have disappeared on many routes. Chappe Ram Negi, founder of the Himalayan Adventure Search Rescue and Investigation at Kasol had been involved in many such operations. Negi has rescued many individuals, besides recovering 50 bodies of the missing trekkers.

The Kullu administration had launched a website with the state-of-the-art geo-tracking application on August 22, 2017, to assist in finding and rescuing stranded tourists or trekkers. However, the plans of the administration could not fructify and the website was never put to use.