West Bengal pilgrim’s body found; Kinnaur Kailash Yatra to resume today

A pilgrim (36) from West Bengal, who had gone on Kinnaur Kailash Yatra, was found dead on the trekking route between Parvati Kund and Kinnaur Kailash peak in Kinnaur district, police said here today. The deceased has been identified as Dipankar Kirtania, son of Mahadev Kirtania, a resident of Chandiberia in South Rajarhat, Gopalpur, West Bengal.

According to police, the body was spotted among boulders by temple committee member and a Home Guard during their visit to the area on August 10. After spotting the body, they informed the police. A team comprising police personnel, Quick Response Team (QRT) and Home Guards retrieved the body and brought it to Ganesh Cave. On August 11, the body was taken to the Regional Hospital, Reckong Peo, for a post-mortem.

Superintendent of Police (SP) Kinnaur Abhishek Shekhar said that police had informed the relatives of the deceased who have reached Reckong Peo. He said further investigation is underway. Till now, as many as four pilgrims going on the yatra have lost their lives while over 1,100 persons have been rescued.

Meanwhile, the district administration has given its nod to resume the yatra from August 13 onwards following favourable weather conditions and after the completion of the restoration work on the route that was damaged due to a flash flood triggered by a cloudburst on August 5. Amit Kalthaik, Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Kalpa Amit Kaltaik, said the yatra would resume on August 13. Registration for the yatra will be done on August 13 and 14 only through offline mode. The registration will start at 6 am and a maximum of 250 pilgrims allowed each day.

“From August 15 onwards, pilgrims will be able to register both offline and online. The daily limit will be 100 pilgrims through online registration, 100 through offline registration and 50 through KTA slots. Registration slots for August 15 will open on August 13 at 2:30 p.m. All other procedures related to the pilgrimage will remain in accordance with the guidelines issued earlier,” he said.

The yatra commenced from July 15 and will continue till August 30. It has been suspended multiple times due to erratic weather conditions. The yatra begins from Tangling village in Kinnaur and concludes at Kinnaur Kailash peak, situated at the altitude of 6,050 metres above the sea level.

Due to the physically demanding nature of the yatra, only individuals in the 16 to 60 age group are generally permitted. All pilgrims are required to present a medical fitness certificate, which can be obtained either from the Primary Health Centre (PHC), Tangling, or any registered medical practitioner. The pilgrims in the 60 to 70 age group are allowed to undertake the yatra only if they obtain their medical certificate specifically from the PHC, Tangling.